Listed as a candidate for governor in next year’s elections, the mayor of Rio, (PSD), signaled this Saturday morning (25), at an event in Baixada Fluminense, an alliance with, according to him, “for the love of Rio”.
“I have no doubt that we will be together, but it is for one love, for the love of the state of the country”, said Paes to deputy Altineu Cortes, president of the PL State Directory.
The mayor’s statement was made during deputy Luciano Vieira’s party to join the PSDB, in the city of São João de Meriti, with the presence of politicians from different parties.
In the same speech, Paes mentioned speculation of an alliance conditional on other support. “This was a week of a lot of speculation, General Pazuello [ex-ministro da Saúde durante o governo de (PL) e deputado do PL]. And someone said, at some point, that these speculations would only have consequences if we made a dedication of love to so-and-so.”
The statements come after the municipal president of the PL in Rio, Bruno Bonetti, stated that the alliance would only come in exchange for support for Jair Bolsonaro or whoever he nominates for the Presidency. “Other than that, there is no such possibility,” he said.
Altineu Cortes himself had told the newspaper O Globo this week that he will only be with Paes if his candidate for president “is the same as the PL candidate”.
At a national level, the PSD, Paes’ party, is moving towards supporting a candidacy by the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans). The statement was made by the national president of the party, Gilberto Kassab, last month.
Kassab stated that, if Tarcísio does not join Planalto, the PSD will support two names from the party. Governors Eduardo Leite (RS) and Ratinho Jr. (PR) are pre-candidates for the Presidency. “There are two cadres within the party who put themselves forward as candidates and have been open to presenting themselves and showing their legacy as governors,” he said.
