Netanyahu calls Brazil front-runner Flávio Bolsonaro to renew ties

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro to congratulate him on leading the first-round vote and to signal a dramatic shift in bilateral relations. The phone call, which occurred on the evening of October 8, 2026, highlights how the upcoming presidential runoff could swiftly dismantle the diplomatic rift established under incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. According to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu invited the Brazilian senator to visit Israel, while Bolsonaro reciprocated with an invitation to Brazil, expressing a mutual desire to "renew the deep friendship" between the two nations.

The diplomatic outreach follows the first round of Brazil's presidential election on October 5, 2026, in which Flávio Bolsonaro secured 47.03% of the vote against Lula’s 45.16%. The narrow lead has positioned the 45-year-old senator—the eldest son of former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro—as the front-runner heading into the decisive October 25 runoff. A victory for the younger Bolsonaro would represent a sharp ideological pivot for Latin America's largest nation, aligning its foreign policy closely with Israel and conservative movements across the Americas.

Under President Lula, relations between Brasília and Jerusalem deteriorated significantly, marked by sharp rhetorical clashes over the conflict in Gaza and the recall of Brazil's ambassador. Flávio Bolsonaro has positioned himself as the antithesis to this policy, pledging to fully restore bilateral trade and diplomatic cooperation. During a meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem earlier this year, the senator committed to reviving trade agreements that he claimed had been suspended by the current administration due to ideological differences.

The warming relations between Netanyahu and the Bolsonaro family reflect a broader geopolitical shift in South America, where conservative, pro-Israel leaders have recently gained ground. The Israeli government explicitly framed the call as part of a "transformation taking place in Israel's relations with South American countries". For Brazilian voters, the upcoming runoff on October 25 will not only decide domestic economic policy but will also serve as a referendum on Brazil's standing and alliances on the global stage.