Flavio Bolsonaro says he may not run for president of Brazil, stepping down would have "its price"

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, said today that he may not be a candidate for president in the next general election, Reuters reports.

His stance marks a reversal from Friday's announcement, when the younger Bolsonaro said his father had chosen him to run on the Liberal Party ticket, shaking markets that had been counting on the more experienced candidate to rally support from the right.

The final decision will be announced on Monday, the senator said after attending a religious service.

"There is a possibility that I may not go all the way," he said, adding that his withdrawal would have "its price."

The senator declined to say whether that "price" would be the passage of legislation in Congress that would pardon those convicted of breaking into and vandalizing public buildings in January 2023, in protest of the election results.

"I just want you to think about what's at stake in Brazil and how much it's worth for me to withdraw my candidacy," he said.

Former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence, was convicted of plotting a coup after his defeat by leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the 2022 elections.