In class magna to students at a college in São Luís (MA), the Minister of (Supreme Court) referred to Deputy Governor Felipe Camarão () as a candidate for the Government of Maranhão in 2026 and, in a joke, made a suggestion of deputy to his plate.
The statement, on Friday (9), made the temperature of the conflicting relationship with Governor Carlos Brandão () and the remaining political group of the Dino government, who commanded the state from 2015 to 2022.
Brandão and allies of Dino lock a power dispute in Maranhão, with battles that went through the election of the command, crossed court disputes and triggered a cold war for the formation of the plate that will dispute the succession of the governor.
At the event for students, Dino greeted Deputy Governor Felipe Camarão and joked with the popularity of the hostess, Professor Teresa Helena Barros.
“It is a pleasure to see you, Felipe. In the name of this friendship, I want to give you a suggestion: put to Teresa as deputy governor, that this plate will be unbeatable, because this woman is popular,” he said.
The speech-screened as a joke between friends by the minister’s allies-caused discomfort in the political core of Brandão to imply the deputy governor’s candidacy as a fait accompli.
Dino also entered the sights of the pockets-the Federal Deputy (PL-MG) reported that he will trigger the Senate and the CNJ (National Council of Justice) against the minister. Brazilian legislation does not allow STF ministers to perform partisan political activities.
Carlos Brandão and Flávio Dino have a political relationship of comings and goings and when the former governor, then Minister of Justice of the Government (PT), was nominated for the Supreme Court. Even distant, they did not break political relations.
Brandão was Dino’s deputy and took over the government of Maranhão in April 2022, when the then governor resigned to run for the Senate. He was reelected in the first round and expanded his political base, approaching the group of former president ().
The governor has not yet decided whether to unzip to run for the Senate or be in office to lead his own succession, avoiding the rise of Felipe Camarão. The petista is seen as a name close to Dino, of whom he was a student and secretary of education.
Brandão has stated that his focus is to govern the state and that it is not a time of political dispute. But it has been sent on the succession when speaking at official events.
“I will not deliver to those who cannot make a good government. It has to be someone in tune with our friends. It is no use surrender the government to those who will pursue our allies, to those who do not know how to play the government,” Brandão said last week in Bacabal, southern state.
Days later, the governor praised the former mayor of Cajapió (160 km from São Luís) Dr. Marcone for choosing a nephew as a successor: “We can’t deliver to anyone, right?”
The statement was seen as a message, as the governor consider launching his own nephew, Orleans Brandão (MDB), to run for the government. He is secretary of municipal matters.
Another name quoted for the dispute is that of the President of the Legislative Assembly, Deputy Iracema Vale (PSB).
The possible candidacy of Brandão’s nephew is criticized by politicians near Dino. State Representative Othelino Neto (), who broke with the governor in April last year, says that the governor wants to make Maranhão a family business.
For Othelino, Brandão moved away from the center left and allied himself with conservative sectors: “In view of the patrimonial and late model of the current government, it is natural that those who defend the legacy of former governor Flávio Dino break with Brandão.”
He defends the name of Felipe Camarão for the succession of 2026 and states that the pre-candidacy of the petista “is lighter” when he moves away from the governor.
Brandão’s allies, in turn, claim that the governor is unlikely to support the deputy. “I clearly see that Governor does not trust Felipe for succession, he thinks he will be persecuted. And it seems that will happen,” says state deputy Yglésio Moyses ().
Nationally, PT and PSB have tried to mediate an alliance that contemplates the two groups. But faces difficulties in the face of the amount of edges between the Dinatics and the Allies of Brandão.
The two groups faced each other for the command of the Maranhão Assembly in 2023 and 2024. Othelino competed with Iracema Vale, which eventually prevailed, but the dispute left wounds and resulted in judicial questions.
Solidarity, Othelino’s party, also filed an action questioning the appointment of Brandão’s family members in the government. There is still a dispute over the appointment of two new counselors of the State Court of Auditors, waged by court decisions.
