‘Another coup d’état’: fears grow as Flávio Bolsonaro vows to ‘re-democratise’ Brazil

After a surprise first-round victory, critics suggest son of disgraced ex-president could seek to continue his father’s authoritarian rule

• Flávio’s surprise first-round win highlights rapid rise of Brazil’s House of Bolsonaro

Flávio Bolsonaro, the far-right frontrunner to become Brazil’s next president, has vowed to “re-democratise” the South American country, fuelling fears over a move into authoritarian rule if he wins power.

Brazil was re-democratised in the 1980s after a brutal 21-year dictatorship that Flávio’s father, the disgraced ex-president, Jair Bolsonaro, has long praised.