Leaders of the Centrão, a political coalition in Brazil, have identified significant flaws in President Lula's government and recent institutional crises, particularly involving Banco Master, as key reasons behind the polling surge of Flávio Bolsonaro. They argue that the statistical tie between Lula and Flávio is more indicative of the president's shortcomings rather than the senator's strong performance. The coalition believes that Lula's difficult start to the year has plunged his administration into deeper complications, primarily due to the ongoing crisis relating to the Supreme Federal Court (STF).

The political figures, speaking anonymously to Folha, have expressed that while the impacts of the Banco Master crisis are detrimental across the board, the Lula administration suffers the most. They perceive that the public tends to conflate the actions of separate government branches, yet the opposition from bolsonarism to Lula and the STF prevents Flávio from becoming the primary target of the crisis. This observation illustrates the intricate dynamics between political power and public perception in Brazilian politics during turbulent times.

Further contributing to Lula's erosion of support, according to these leaders, is a recent Carnival parade that depicted the president in a satirical manner, with families displayed in cans of food. This maneuver in popular culture seems to reinforce negative sentiments towards Lula and reflects the challenges his administration faces in resonating positively with the electorate, especially as Flávio Bolsonaro capitalizes on the discontent.