Brazilian political power dynamics: anti‑corruption rise, governor sway, Bolsonaro dynasty

Analysts note that Brazil's fight against corruption and organized crime intensified during the Lula administrations, with Federal Police special operations increasing three‑fold between 2003 and 2010 and staff numbers rising from about 9,200 to 14,300. While earlier governments laid groundwork, the Lula period saw a marked expansion of resources and autonomy for the police.

Political scientists highlight that Brazil’s governors have become pivotal actors in national governance. The book *Barões da Federação* argues that state governors now control extensive administrative machines, shape congressional majorities, direct federal resource transfers and critically influence presidential coalition building, reflecting a deepening of decentralized federal power.

A forthcoming work, *O Sobrenome*, examines whether the Bolsonaro family is forging Brazil’s first nationwide political dynasty since redemocratization. Author Ana Paula Rocha focuses on Jair Bolsonaro’s endorsement of his son Flávio Bolsonaro as a presidential candidate, a move that could signal a break from Brazil’s historic difficulty in producing generational political successors.