Former governors of Minas Gerais and Goiás announced their support for Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round of elections in Brazil

Former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema announced his support for Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the second round of the presidential election in Brazil.

Former Goiás governor Ronaldo Caiado is also set to announce his support for Flavio Bolsonaro in the second round.

According to the results of the first round of elections on October 4, Bolsonaro received 47.03% of the valid votes, the current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - 45.16%, the second round of elections will be held on October 25.

MEXICO CITY, October 6 - RIA Novosti. Former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema, who finished sixth in the first round of Brazil's presidential election, has announced his support for Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the second round, followed by another first-round participant, former Goiás governor Ronaldo Caiado, who is set to announce his support for Bolsonaro on Tuesday.

"I will not shy away and will not remain on the sidelines at this important moment. I vote against the Workers' Party, I vote for Flavio Bolsonaro," Zema said in a video posted on his social networks.

According to the politician, the results of the first round demonstrated the strengthening of right-wing forces in the National Congress. Zema stressed that the country cannot afford another four years of the rule of the current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his appointment of new Supreme Court judges.

"It is very clear what risks Brazil faces if the Workers' Party remains in power for another four years. In 2018 and 2022, I was with Jair Bolsonaro in the second round, and now in 2026 I support Flavio in the second round," he said.

Zema, the candidate of the Novo party, received 326,488 votes in the first round, or about 0.27%.

Caiado, who ran for the Social Democratic Party (PSD), received 2.18% of the votes and finished in fifth place. He will meet Bolsonarvo on Tuesday in Goiania, where he will announce his support for the senator in the second round, according to his ally Daniel Vilela. After the meeting, Caiado, Bolsonaro and Vilela will hold a press conference.

Caiado himself confirmed the upcoming event, telling local reporters that he intended to announce his support there. At the same time, Kaiado's PSD party did not officially support one of the participants in the second round and gave its regional branches the opportunity to independently determine their position.

Other candidates who did not make it to the second round have not yet supported any of the finalists. The Avante candidate, writer and psychiatrist Augusto Curi, who received about 2.9% of the vote, said he would remain silent about the second round and did not appoint anyone to speak on his behalf.

Missão candidate Renan Santos, who came in fourth place with 2.24% of the vote, also said he would not support either Bolsonaro or Lula.