In an exclusive hotel ballroom in Deerfield Beach, Florida, 70 kilometers north of Miami, over 250 Brazilian conservatives gathered in July for what Eduardo Bolsonaro called the “Conservative Summit.” The event, held at a Christian university, drew high demand and required a waiting list.
Among the attendees was Pedro Valente, a Brazilian entrepreneur whose influence stretches beyond the typical expatriate community. Since moving to Miami in 1993 for an MBA, Valente has built connections between Brazilian politics and the American conservative elite through Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Valente and his two brothers operate three locations of their Valente Brothers academy, attracting an elite clientele. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner bring their three children for regular sessions, while Valente’s brother Joaquim is the partner of supermodel Gisele Bündchen and father of her third child.
“I train jiu-jitsu two hours, every Friday, with Pedro, a great friend of many years,” says Paulo Figueiredo, a key figure in Brazilian conservative circles. He adds that “Joaquim is my shooting instructor,” noting close ties to Bündchen as well.
The academy has become a hub for connections between Brazilian and American conservatives. Bündchen and Ivanka Trump have been spotted together on a yacht with family members, while the couples – Bündchen with Joaquim and the Trumps – frequently vacation in Costa Rica.
This access extended to Trump’s inauguration, where Pedro Valente secured a seat at the table with the Trump family – a position no other Brazilian held.
Despite these high-profile ties, Valente emphasizes the academy is “secular,” welcoming participants from any ideology. He notes his family’s diverse political background: “My father was Secretary of Health under Leonel Brizola,” the former Rio de Janeiro governor.
The influence of these networks was clear during an incident when twenty SWAT team members raided a barbecue attended by Eduardo Bolsonaro and Fabio Wajngarten over a false tip about hidden corpses. Valente’s connections helped resolve the situation quickly.
For Eduardo Bolsonaro, operating in the U.S. to support his father against potential legal issues in Brazil, these martial arts networks have provided access that formal channels cannot. The Conservative Summit included Republican Mayor Todd Drosky of Deerfield Beach, who thanked Eduardo and noted that Brazilian immigrants make up 20 percent of the local population.
Speakers included former students of Olavo de Carvalho, as well as controversial figures like Allan dos Santos, who fled Brazil in 2021 after an arrest warrant for spreading false information, and retired judge Ludmila Lins Grilo, who was compulsorily retired after criticizing Brazil’s Supreme Court.
Among attendees were Mario and Larissa Martins, founders of Yes Brazil USA, an organization formed in Florida after the 2018 attack on Jair Bolsonaro. Their group organizes events supporting Bolsonaro in the U.S.
The Martins illustrate how these networks enable cross-border political introductions. “We introduced Rick Scott to Paulo,” Mario Martins explains, referring to Paulo Figueiredo. “Then Paulo introduced the senator to Eduardo.” Senator Scott, a former Florida governor and Trump ally, exemplifies the type of American contacts accessible through these informal channels.
This “jiu-jitsu diplomacy” demonstrates how shared training creates direct connections across political lines. The Valente Brothers academy has become a central point where Brazilian operatives engage with American conservative leadership through relationships forged on the mats.
As Eduardo Bolsonaro continues his U.S. operations, these martial arts connections provide influence and access within conservative circles, showing the strategic value of Brazilian jiu-jitsu beyond the gym.
