BRAZIL · POLITICS
Key Facts
- The country Brazil, Latin America’s largest democracy, will elect a new Senate president in February 2027.
- What happened Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party launched Senator Rogério Marinho against Senate President Davi Alcolumbre on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
- The numbers The Liberal Party will hold 29 of 81 seats, plus 3 allies from Novo, a small free-market party.
- The link The fight is tied to talk of amnesty for ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, convicted of plotting a coup.
- Power Index Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 75.0 points (October 2026 edition).
Brazil’s conservative opposition declared war on the man who runs its Senate on Wednesday 4 November 2026. The Liberal Party (PL), the party of former president Jair Bolsonaro, launched Senator Rogério Marinho as its candidate for Senate president against the current holder, Davi Alcolumbre.
The vote falls in early February 2027, but the contest already matters, because the Senate president decides which bills, impeachment requests and amnesty plans reach a vote. For US readers, it is a test of how far Brazil’s Congress will go in challenging the Supreme Court and easing the sentences of Bolsonaro and other convicted coup plotters.
What Happened
The Liberal Party met on Wednesday to decide whether to field its own candidate instead of backing Alcolumbre. He belongs to União Brasil, a centre-right party, and represents the northern state of Amapá.
Marinho, a senator from Rio Grande do Norte state, has run for this job once before. He lost 49 votes to 32 against Rodrigo Pacheco, then Senate president, in 2023.
The Amnesty Link
Opposition lawmakers say Alcolumbre has floated a pardon or amnesty for Jair Bolsonaro to win right-wing votes. They reject the offer and cite promises they say he broke in 2025.
Carlos Jordy, a Liberal Party deputy, said anyone who trusted Alcolumbre’s guarantees would be foolish. The remark shows how little trust is left between the two sides.
The Math in the Senate
The Senate has 81 seats, so a candidate needs 41 votes to win the presidency. Marinho starts with about 32 votes, which leaves him nine short.
The opposition is courting 11 senators from the União Brasil and Progressistas federation, an alliance of two parties. It also wants some of the 16 undecided senators from three other parties: Republicanos, Podemos and the PSDB (Brazilian Social Democracy Party).
What It Means for You
Investors in Brazil, including holders of US-listed Brazilian shares, should watch this race, because the Senate president sets the voting calendar for tax, spending and judicial bills. A change at the top could speed up or stall the agenda of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who won the October runoff.
Travellers and US companies need not change plans, since the vote changes no law and nothing happens before February 2027. The contest does show that the conservative camp is still organised after losing the presidency.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the opposition’s 32 starting votes will hold, because senators can change sides before the vote. Alcolumbre has not published a detailed amnesty or pardon proposal.
It is also not known whether the legal situation of Jair Bolsonaro could change before February. It is also not known how many candidates will enter the race.
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times. Related: Brazil Senate passes security amendment 75-0, Flávio Bolsonaro’s US stay explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Rogério Marinho?
Marinho is a conservative senator from Rio Grande do Norte state and a leading figure of the Liberal Party. He lost the 2023 Senate presidency vote to Rodrigo Pacheco, 49 votes to 32.
Who Runs the Brazilian Senate Now?
Davi Alcolumbre of União Brasil, a senator from Amapá state, is the Senate president. The Liberal Party wants to replace him in February 2027.
How Many Votes Does a Senate President Need?
A candidate needs 41 of the 81 senators. The Liberal Party counts about 32 votes for Marinho at the start.
Why Does Amnesty Matter in This Race?
Opposition lawmakers say Alcolumbre has floated a pardon or amnesty for Jair Bolsonaro to win their votes. They have rejected the offer.
Sources: Liberal Party of Brazil (PL), decision on the Marinho candidacy; Federal Senate of Brazil, composition and rules for the election of the Senate president.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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