Flávio Bolsonaro, Brazil's leading right-wing presidential candidate, has been caught on tape asking a jailed banker accused of corruption for $26.8 million (£20 million) to fund a film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. The leaked voice memos and text messages were published by The Intercept Brasil on Wednesday and later acknowledged by the senator.
The recordings show Flávio Bolsonaro requesting 134 million reais ($26.8 million) for a 'heroic' biopic in which Jair Bolsonaro is played by Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in Mel Gibson's 2004 film 'The Passion of the Christ'. The requests were made to banker Daniel Vorcaro, who is currently in prison over what is considered one of Brazil's largest banking frauds, with losses estimated at 60 billion reais.
In the messages, Flávio refers to Vorcaro as 'brother' and presses for payment to ensure Caviezel and director Cyrus Nowrasteh were paid. 'We're at a very decisive moment for the film and, as there are a lot of outstanding payments, everyone is tense,' he said. The revelations have triggered significant backlash, even among the far right. Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais and a presidential hopeful, called the recordings 'a slap in the face to decent Brazilians'.
Flávio initially denied the story but later admitted it, saying it was 'a son seeking private sponsorship for a private film about his father's story'. He did not say whether he ultimately received the money, but an advertising executive reportedly told O Globo that at least $12 million had been paid. The sum far exceeds budgets of successful Brazilian films like 'I'm Still Here' ($8.9 million) and 'The Secret Agent' ($5.6 million).
The scandal has already touched the Bolsonaro family, with police accusing former cabinet member Ciro Nogueira of receiving monthly bribes of up to 500,000 reais from Vorcaro. Nogueira denies the allegations. Sociologist Celso Rocha de Barros said the blow to Flávio's campaign is 'brutal' and could erode his anti-establishment credentials that helped him tie with President Lula in polls.
