The Workers’ Party (PT) of Rio Grande do Norte is articulating its own candidacy for the “buffer government” in the Legislative Assembly as a reaction to the statement from the vice-governor, Walter Alves (MDB), that he will leave the government by April. The emedebista’s departure disrupts the succession plans of PT governor Fátima Bezerra, whose desire is to resign from her mandate to run for a seat in the Senate. The Constitution provides that, in this scenario of a vacuum in the position, it is up to the House to hold an indirect election to choose a governor who will remain in office until January.
Alves’ announcement took place on Monday, when he also declared that he will run for state deputy in October and support a ticket opposing the PT. To compete for any public position, both Bezerra and his vice-president must leave the state Executive.
Bezerra supports the Secretary of Finance, Cadu Xavier (PT), as his successor in the October election. Xavier is also tipped to be the name of the acronym in the indirect election in the Assembly, as is state deputy Francisco from PT.
“Walter Alves’ departure was a surprise for the PT. We did not count on this possibility. Now, we are seeking dialogue with the left-wing bench and with the president of the Assembly. We are being approached by parties from other political fields as well”, says Samanda Alves, president of the PT of Rio Grande do Norte.
The possibility of the Assembly choosing an opposition name for the possible “buffer government” is seen with concern by those around the governor. The name chosen by the deputies would remain in the position of governor during the electoral campaign period, a period seen as strategic for strengthening candidacies for the state Executive.
What weighs against Bezerra is the capillarity of the PL in the House — an acronym that should account for a third of the votes during the indirect election period. The scenario would make it difficult for a name supported by her to win in the state, which is the electoral birthplace of the opposition leader, Rogério Marinho (PL). The Bolsonarista is among the names mentioned for the October dispute for the state government.
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The government base in the Assembly, made up of PT and PV, occupies six seats, the same number as the PL. There is, however, the expectation that the Bolsonarist bench will grow with the party window and become the largest in the House. The União Brasil and PP coalition has three seats, while the PSDB occupies six.
In a note released on Monday, Alves states that he informed the governor that the MDB’s position in Rio Grande do Norte is “to walk with the parties Federation União Progressista (União Brasil and PP) and PSD”. He states that the decision to support an opposition ticket was taken after consultation with supporters.
On the other hand, the vice-governor says that he ratified the position of support for the re-election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) with the national president of the MDB, federal deputy Baleia Rossi, and with the national president of the PT, Edinho Silva.
‘Buffer government’
A similar situation occurs in Rio de Janeiro. With the likely resignation of governor Cláudio Castro (PL) to run for the Senate, there must be a dispute in the State Legislative Assembly (Alerj) for the “buffer government”.
The indirect election would occur due to the fact that Rio has been without a vice-governor since May, after Thiago Pampolha chose to resign his position to take up a seat at the State Court of Auditors (TCE).
The president of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj), Rodrigo Bacellar — who would be second in succession — was arrested this month by the Federal Police (PF). He is suspected of leaking data about an operation by agents against state deputy Tiego Raimundo dos Santos Silva, known as TH Joias.
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Bacellar was later released, but remains away from office for the duration of the investigations and was ordered to wear an electronic ankle bracelet by the Federal Supreme Court (STF). Castro’s allies understand that the new president of Alerj, Guilherme Delaroli (PL), could not take over the government as he is interim.
