Latest news in Brazil? September 12th, 2026

Brazil is experiencing intense political and institutional developments leading up to the October 4 presidential election:

• Flávio Bolsonaro Corruption Probe: Supreme Court documents revealed that Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the main opposition challenger to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is under formal investigation for alleged corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion. The inquiry focuses on 61 million reais received from disgraced Banco Master financier Daniel Vorcaro to finance an unreleased biographical movie about his father, Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing, asserting the funding was standard private investment.
• Supreme Court Institutional Crisis: Tension inside Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court (STF) remains high after Justice André Mendonça unsealed sensitive documents and attempted to remove Federal Police leadership, sparking internal clashes between justices and prompting the court to cancel scheduled deliberation sessions. Chief Justice Luiz Edson Fachin ordered the full release of Banco Master case files to reduce friction and enforce judicial transparency.
• Pre-Election Fuel Relief: In response to rising global oil volatility, President Lula enacted emergency measures cutting import and sales taxes on gasoline and ethanol alongside a diesel subsidy to protect domestic consumers from price shocks in the final weeks before voting begins.
• Aviation Decarbonization: The federal government launched its official Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program, establishing regulatory frameworks, book-and-claim mechanisms, and certifications to support domestic green fuel projects.