The governor of , (Republicans), declared this Monday (8) to support the candidacy of senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) for the Presidency. However, Tarcísio, who was tipped to run for the same position, said that the right must have other candidates in the election.
“He [Flávio] was with me on Friday [5] past. We talked about it. President Bolsonaro, who is a person I respect a lot — I always said that I would be loyal to Bolsonaro, that I am grateful to Bolsonaro and have this non-negotiable loyalty — he said, Flávio, of his choice [Bolsonaro] and that’s it,” he said.
“Flávio will count on us. Flávio has a great responsibility from now on as he joins other big names in the opposition who have already made their names available”, he added, citing Ronaldo Caiado (União Brasil), Romeu Zema (Novo) and Ratinho Jr. (PSD) as alternatives.
The statements were made at a turbulent press conference, in which the governor tried several times to avoid the subject and preferred to address topics such as Cracolândia and Metro works.
Tarcísio had not yet commented on Flávio’s candidacy, who announced his candidacy last Friday (5). According to Sheet reported, among his allies, the launch of Bolsonaro’s son’s candidacy was, as it demonstrated that Tarcísio does not have political autonomy.
When commenting on the nomination, Tarcísio was asked about the Datafolha survey in a dispute against Lula (PT). “We will evaluate this over time, it’s early. We have time to mature”, he replied.
The governor, however, made a critical speech to the federal government, highlighting that, in his opinion, a change of direction is necessary. “We need to discuss Brazil’s structural issues and that is what will be on the table. And we will organize this group [da direita] because we have a convergence of ideas, a convergence of the plan, so that we can organize politics to find ways out, find solutions to solve these issues”, he said.
The governor’s statements took place at an event to mark the inauguration of a health center in Diadema, in ABC Paulista. Journalists asked about the financial market’s reactions to the announcement and about the delay in making a statement, but Tarcísio did not respond. The event was full of supporters and there were shouts of “president” for Tarcísio, who listened without reprimanding.
The governor had been pointed out by the leaders of the center-right parties as the main name to run against Lula next year. Although he never admitted the proposal, a series of statements by Tarcísio, especially regarding financial market events, were being interpreted as signs that he was willing to compete.
One of the most recent of these signs occurred in mid-November, when the governor participated in a lecture for the G4 Education group, in which he said that if he “changed the CEO”, Brazil would return to functioning, in an indirect criticism of Lula.
On the 25th, however, moments after the STF (Supreme Federal Court) confirmed the final and unappealable decision (conclusion) of the case against Bolsonaro, which confirmed his arrest, Tarcísio was in the dispute.
