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A political operative with ties to Brazil’s Bolsonaro dynasty drafted a proposal for the Rockbridge Network, a group founded by JD Vance, pitching a rare earths supply chain stretching from Brazil to the United States. The catch: the document, which bore Flávio Bolsonaro’s logo, tied the minerals initiative to support for Flávio’s presidential campaign ahead of Brazil’s October elections.
The proposal was authored by Andre Marinho, a figure associated with the Bolsonaro political family, and dated March 19, 2026. Marinho has confirmed he wrote the presentation but insists it was never actually shared with US officials.
What the proposal actually says
Flávio Bolsonaro has been making this argument publicly at political forums throughout 2026, advocating for deeper mineral trade ties with Washington as a counterweight to Beijing’s dominance.
But the Marinho document went further than public talking points. It explicitly linked the rare earths supply chain initiative to political support for Flávio’s presidential bid, effectively bundling geopolitical resource strategy with domestic electoral ambitions. The presentation targeted the Rockbridge Network specifically, a conservative policy organization that Vance founded before ascending to the vice presidency.
The story was first reported by Amado Mundo on September 12-13, landing just weeks before Brazilian voters head to the polls.
Why Brazil’s rare earths matter this much
Brazil sits on roughly 19-23% of the world’s rare earth reserves, a category of minerals essential for everything from electric vehicle batteries to missile guidance systems. China, meanwhile, controls approximately 60% of global rare earth mining and a staggering 90% of refining capacity.
American capital has already started flowing into Brazilian rare earth projects at scale. USA Rare Earth completed its acquisition of the Serra Verde mine for $2.8 billion in April 2026, making it one of the largest rare earth transactions outside China. That deal followed a $565 million financing package announced for the same project in February.
The Rockbridge connection
Marinho’s defense, that the document was never shared with US officials, creates a strange middle ground. The proposal exists. It names specific organizations. It carries a Brazilian politician’s branding. But according to its author, it remained a draft.
What this means for Brazil’s election and beyond
For Flávio Bolsonaro, the revelation is a double-edged sword. On one hand, positioning Brazil as a critical minerals partner for the US is genuinely popular policy, especially among voters who view China’s growing influence in Latin America with suspicion. On the other hand, a document that appears to trade strategic resources for campaign support plays into every criticism opponents have leveled at the Bolsonaro family’s approach to foreign relations.
The $2.8 billion Serra Verde acquisition shows the commercial side is already moving fast. The Marinho proposal suggests the political side is trying to keep pace.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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