The remaining political group of the former governor, now minister of the (Supreme Federal Court), is trying to make a definitive break with the governor of Maranhão, Carlos Brandão ().
The fraying of the relationship, which has deepened in recent weeks, involves tensions in the political field, clashes in the judicial sphere in actions filed in the STF and even personal disputes. Allies of both speak of a heavy climate and do not rule out the possibility of a breakup.
Dino was governor of Maranhão from January 2015 to April 2022, when he resigned to run for the Senate for the PSB. Carlos Brandão, then vice-governor, ascended to the position and was re-elected two years ago.
Elected senator in 2022, Dino served in the (PT), but was appointed to the STF and took office in February. Since then, he has moved away from party politics, but remains with a cohesive group of allies in Maranhão.
The clashes between Brandão and Dino began in February 2023, in the election for the presidency of the Legislative Assembly of Maranhão. The then minister worked for his ally Othelino Neto, at the time in PC do B and today in , but deputy Iracema Vale (PSB), supported by the governor, prevailed.
Since then, both have shown signs of distancing themselves, with clashes behind the scenes and rare meetings at public ceremonies. According to allies, dialogues generally took place through intermediaries.
In the assessment of Dino’s allies, Brandão moved away from the left-wing camp by approaching conservative sectors, including being supported by Jair Bolsonaro. There are also accusations of non-compliance with agreements and criticism of the appointment of the governor’s relatives to government positions.
An unconstitutionality action filed by Solidariedade, Othelino’s acronym, questioned the appointment of 14 of Brandão’s relatives. The STF minister, Alexandre de Moraes, partially accepted the action in October and ordered the removal of five appointed by the governor.
Brandão’s allies, in turn, accuse Dino of interfering in local politics even after ascending to a seat on the STF. One of the examples cited is the decision, days after his inauguration at the STF, which suspended the process of choosing the counselor for an open position at the State Court of Auditors.
The action was filed by Solidariedade, a party led by Othelino Neto, who broke with Brandão in March this year. He is the husband of senator Ana Paula Lobato (PDT), who took office after Dino’s resignation to take up the position on the STF.
Othelino denies any interference from Maranhão’s minister of politics: “There is no influence whatsoever. On the contrary, Flávio’s sudden departure from politics left a hiatus that only time will resolve.”
This week, disagreements escalated after information became public that Dino did not invite Brandão to his wedding ceremony next Saturday (30) with Daniela Lima, with whom he has lived in a stable union since 2011. The information was released by the Metrópoles portal and confirmed by Sheet.
As Dino’s allies claim, the minister has a low profile in his personal life and will hold a ceremony restricted to friends. The assessment is that, despite the history of political relations, Brandão does not have a close personal relationship with the minister.
The episode gained repercussion two weeks after allies of Dino and Brandão fought a new and fierce dispute for the presidency of the Legislative Assembly of Maranhão. Iracema Vale and Othelino Neto faced each other and the election ended in a draw, with 21 votes each.
The rule in the Assembly’s internal regulations prevailed, which states that, in cases of a tie, the oldest deputy is elected. The result was the re-election of Iracema Vale, giving new impetus to the governor’s group in the arm wrestling with his predecessor’s allies.
The decision was challenged in the STF by the Solidariedade party, which defends the application of the rule established in the Chamber of Deputies, in which the deputy with the most mandates is elected in the event of a tie – a rule that would benefit Othelino. It will be up to the minister to judge the appeal.
In an interview with Mirante News FM radio, Iracema Vale stated that the tie in the vote in the Assembly was the result of “strong external influences”, but made no reference to the STF minister.
In open votes on projects in the Legislative Assembly, deputies closest to Dino have positioned themselves against the governor. This was the case of the recent project that adjusted the ICMS rate, which was opposed by nine deputies, including names close to the minister such as Othelino Neto, Carlos Lula (PSB) and Rodrigo Lago (PC do B).
The succession to 2026 is the main backdrop to the dispute. Dino’s allies claim that there would be an agreement in which Brandão would resign to run for the Senate in 2026, giving rise to the position of vice-governor Felipe Camarão (PT), a name close to the minister and who could seek re-election.
Brandão, however, publicly stated at least twice that he intends to fully fulfill his mandate until the end of which would make the PT member’s intentions of taking over the government unfeasible.
Behind the scenes, two names are highlighted as possible candidates for the base in the event of a rupture: deputy Iracema Vale and the secretary of Municipal Affairs, Orleans Brandão (MDB), nephew of the governor.
On the side of Flávio Dino’s allies, the natural candidate is the vice-governor. But one of the options on the table would be to support a possible candidacy of the mayor of São Luís, Eduardo Braide (PSD), who built his political career in opposition to the Dino and Brandão governments.
