A week after the vote, government allies () in the states began an offensive in search of visibility in the field of public security, an issue that should gain centrality in the electoral debate for 2026.
Amidst criticism from the opposition and one, PT members highlight the need to engage in a narrative dispute with the right, which adopts a hard-line stance in this field and has minimized episodes of lethality such as the police action in Rio.
The assessment is that it is possible to make a speech about the relentless fight against organized crime, but with actions based on intelligence and prior police investigation, using force proportionately, within the limits of the law.
In practice, however, PT governments have sent mixed signals to society in the debate on public security. In states like and , governors are balancing between defending lethal police actions and preserving human rights.
Nationally, the Lula government raised the alarm about the impact of the operation in Rio de Janeiro. Qualitative and quantitative research to which the government had access indicated a defense of lethal action by the majority of the population.
This Tuesday (24), President Lula referred to the police action in Rio de Janeiro and classified it as disastrous.
An aide to the president criticized the . About two weeks ago, the former president said that drug traffickers were also victims and had to recant.
A Datafolha survey released last Saturday (1st) showed that the mega-operation in Rio was seen as part of the city’s metropolitan region. Another 39% think the opposite.
Faced with this scenario, the government rushed to deliver to Congress, last Friday (31), the Antifaction PL, which establishes the criminal type of
Secretary of Justice and Human Rights of Bahia, Felipe Freitas says it is possible to confront organized crime “without leaving piles of bodies” in police operations.
He highlights that progressive governments cannot adopt a discourse similar to that of the right on security: “Politics is about disputing public opinion, not repeating what public opinion says. It is necessary to present alternatives to public debate until the moment when these ideas become the majority”, argues Freitas.
The electoral calendar, however, works against it and raises concerns at the top of the federal government. A more pessimistic government interlocutor says that the security issue could present, for the first time, a threat to Lula’s ratings in the polls, which were on the rise.
An assistant to the president highlights, however, that he currently has three important trump cards to present: the Antifaction PL; the PEC (Proposed amendment to the Constitution) for Public Security; and the recent operations of the PF (Federal), most notably , in addition to actions in the states.
In Bahia, police led this Tuesday (4) against members of the , with the arrest of 37 suspects and the death of one person. In October, one targeted a scheme for irregular fuel sales in companies with connections to (Primeiro Comando da Capital).
The actions were celebrated by the government as an example of intelligence-based police action. Lula himself was one of those who celebrated the action on social media.
Among allies of the governor (PT) the understanding is that, for the first time, the management managed to get out of the ropes in the field of public security.
Bahia faces disputes between criminal factions. The state leads the indicators of violent deaths and police lethality among states in absolute numbers. Between January and September, there were 1,252 deaths in police actions.
Still, in the opinion of PT members, the operations in Bahia can be seen as a counterpoint to those in Rio de Janeiro. There is also an expectation that investigations into the case may still demonstrate possible excesses and change public opinion.
On the other hand, there is concern about the advance of factions in the Northeast, a territory where Lula has a consolidated electorate. The assessment is that the scenario could create fertile ground for right-wing candidacies. In addition to Bahia and Ceará, they cited the scenario in Rio Grande do Norte and parts of Pernambuco with concern.
In Ceará, governor Elmano de Freitas (PT) adopted a speech that clashes with PT members. Last week, he left seven suspects dead in Canindé, in the interior of the state: “No police officers killed. No innocent people shot. The population protected.”
Meanwhile, opponents doubled down on the security issue and raised the tone of criticism: “Unfortunately, we do not have a governor who exercises his authority, who enforces law and order, who provides security to the citizen”, said the former mayor of Salvador, (União Brasil), potential candidate for governor of Bahia in 2026.
Last week, right-wing governors showed solidarity with the governor of Rio, (PL), and . The forum to discuss issues related to security was launched with speeches with an electoral tone and criticism of the PT governments.
