The former minister signed his registration form this Wednesday (22), defended the union of oppositions in Ceará in 2026 and criticized the president (PT), governor Elmano de Freitas (PT) and the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana (PT).
In a speech, Ciro did not confirm whether he will be a candidate for governor, but indicated that his priority will be the construction of a political project in Ceará. He spoke of the sorrows he carries from 2022, he said he had been betrayed and promised to rescue his state.
“For Brazil I die, but for Ceará I kill”, said the former minister at the event that brought together activists and political leaders in a hotel in Fortaleza.
At 67 years old, Ciro is trying to regain political prominence in his state and is on his way to being a candidate for governor for the second time — he commanded the state from 1991 to 1994.
The tendency, allies point out, is for him to be the opponent of governor Elmano de Freitas in 2026 to try to interrupt a cycle of PT governments that began in 2015 with the election of , now a minister in the Lula government.
The Minister of Education was one of the targets of criticism from Ciro, who classified the former governor as someone who wants to own Ceará: “I’m going to take off your mask, Camilo Santana.” Governor Elmano de Freitas, in turn, was indirectly called “a weakling and weakling”.
The act brought together the main opposition leaders in Ceará, including Bolsonaro federal deputy André Fernandes () and former federal deputy Captain Wagner (), both former political opponents of Ciro in Ceará and allies of the former president.
In a speech, Ciro called Fernandes a “young talent” and highlighted Wagner’s role in denouncing the dominance of criminal factions in the state. Afterwards, he stated that, even with disagreements regarding national policy, they were united by public spirit.
“The issue is one of life and death: they are destroying Ceará. What we are doing is trying to overcome the differences, which are many. They are not small and are even more difficult to overcome when we talk about national politics. But, in Ceará, there is a consensus that we need to put aside our serious differences to solve the state’s problem today”, he stated.
Anticipating possible criticism, Ciro recalled Lula’s alliances with people with whom he had differences, such as José de Alencar, PT’s vice-president in his first two terms, and Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), current vice-president.
In an interview, André Fernandes highlighted that the convergences with Ciro Gomes are greater than the divergences and signaled support for the opposition’s unity.
“We like Ciro’s courage, it’s a very big bet. At the right time, we will define and present a ticket, I hope, a single opposition ticket in the state of Ceará”, stated the Bolsonaro supporter.
When talking about national politics, Ciro said that he will engage in the task of rebuilding the country and made a deference to former governor Tasso Jereissati, his political godfather at the beginning of his career and guarantor of his return to the toucan nest.
He also criticized President Lula, speaking of “generalized robbery” and highlighting problems such as informality in the job market. When talking about the 2026 national election, he called Lula’s possible new candidacy at the age of 81 irresponsible.
In recent years, Ciro has expanded political differences with former allies such as Camilo Santana and even with his own brother, senator Cid Gomes (PSB), with whom he has been separated since 2022.
Cid, who governed Ceará between 2007 and 2014, has stated that a possible candidacy by Ciro will create an “absolutely embarrassing” situation. The senator is an ally of Elmano de Freitas and should support the governor’s re-election.
Asked this Wednesday about a possible resumption of the alliance with Cid, Ciro was succinct: “About my brother, ask him.”
Among Ciro’s allies, a possible candidacy for government is seen as a movement capable of changing the state’s electoral board. The governor’s allies, in turn, minimize the impact of the former minister’s entry into the state dispute.
Governor Elmano de Freitas works to expand his alliances and tries to bring to his platform the federation formed by União Brasil, in addition to .
In addition to joining the PSDB, Ciro was invited by Tasso Jereissati to take on the role of state president of the party, with the end of Ozires Pontes’ term approaching.
The event in Fortaleza also marked the PSDB affiliation of José Sarto, mayor of the capital between 2021 and 2024 by the PDT. He will be a candidate for federal deputy.
