Evangelical church backs Caiado over Flávio Bolsonaro
The Assembleias de Deus Ministério Madureira is not backing Jair Bolsonaro’s son in Brazil’s presidential election.
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An influential Brazilian evangelical denomination is choosing Ronaldo Caiado over Flávio Bolsonaro in the presidential election. The choice shows that evangelical churches in Brazil carry political weight, but do not form a uniform bloc.
The Assembleias de Deus Ministério Madureira has declared its support for Ronaldo Caiado, the governor of Goiás and PSD candidate. The denomination had previously aligned itself with Bolsonarism and supported Jair Bolsonaro during his 2022 re-election campaign.
According to BBC News Brasil, Flávio Bolsonaro, a senator and presidential candidate, sought to establish ties with the church’s leaders. The denomination’s leadership ultimately decided not to back him. There had previously been contacts with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, but these too did not lead to support for Lula.
Caiado is not among the two frontrunners in the polls. The BBC puts him at around 3 per cent in the poll aggregation consulted. The church’s support is therefore mainly relevant as a signal of how religious organisations negotiate with political parties, not as a guarantee of a major electoral shift.
The role of religion is especially visible in this election because of a separate dispute surrounding Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Brazil’s Catholic patron saint. Flávio Bolsonaro denies that he wants to abolish her official status. The Catholic bishops’ conference, for its part, denies involvement in spreading the rumour.
Evangelical churches are among Brazil’s most influential social networks, but their organisation is fragmented. The Assembleias de Deus consist of various ministries and conventions with their own leaders. A decision by one influential group therefore does not automatically say anything about all evangelical voters.
For Dutch readers, the combination of religion, party politics and social networks is particularly significant. The Brazilian campaign shows how symbols of faith and national identity can become part of a presidential contest. Whether Madureira’s choice affects the result can only be assessed after the vote.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- An influential evangelical denomination supports Caiado rather than Flávio Bolsonaro.
- The denomination previously supported Jair Bolsonaro.
- Religious symbols visibly play a role in the election campaign.
Left
Arguments Religious institutions may participate in public debate, but elections should not be dominated by church power blocs or fear surrounding religious symbols.
Values Secularism, pluralism and the protection of minorities.
Consequences A strong intermingling of faith and party politics can deepen social divisions and create space for disinformation.
Centre
Arguments Churches and believers have the same freedom as other civil-society organisations to support a candidate, provided claims remain verifiable and the state treats religions equally.
Values Freedom of religion, freedom of expression and institutional neutrality.
Consequences Open political participation can improve representation, but requires transparency about influence and funding.
Right
Arguments Religious communities are legitimate carriers of values and may support candidates who, in their view, defend family, faith and national identity.
Values Freedom of association, tradition and religious conviction.
Consequences Church mobilisation can give voters a clear voice, but rival religious groups may consequently be set against one another.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The text draws on a BBC report and AP reporting and attributes political claims to the parties involved. The possible influence on voters is explicitly treated as uncertain.
- confirmed Assembleias de Deus Ministério Madureira supports Ronaldo Caiado and not Flávio Bolsonaro. — This is the core of the BBC report. source
- confirmed The denomination supported Jair Bolsonaro during his 2022 campaign. — Described in the same report. source
- confirmed Caiado stood at around 3 per cent in the poll aggregation consulted. — The BBC report gives this percentage for the aggregation used. source
- confirmed Flávio Bolsonaro denies that he wants to abolish the status of Nossa Senhora Aparecida. — AP describes his denial and the context of the rumour. source
Editor's note
The denomination’s choice and its earlier political contacts were described by BBC News Brasil. The precise electoral influence of church support has not been measured and remains uncertain.Sources
- A influente igreja evangélica que apoiou Jair, mas rejeita Flávio Bolsonaro — BBC News Brasil via O Povo
- What to know about the viral claim about Brazil's patron saint — Associated Press
- Caso Nossa Senhora: líderes evangélicos defendem Flávio — SBT News