The movement of senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) to build competitive platforms has caused uncertainty on the right in Minas Gerais, the second largest electoral college in the country.
The son of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) intends to launch federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) into the race for the Executive, disrupting the plans of vice-governor Mateus Simões (PSD) to be elected as successor to governor Romeu Zema (Novo). The deputy, however, has been showing resistance.
As part of the offensive for the PL to launch candidates and have 22 on the ballot in all states, Flávio has encouraged Nikolas to run for government, despite the deputy indicating that entering the dispute is not in his plans. In an interview with the Café com Ferri podcast, broadcast yesterday on YouTube, the parliamentarian ruled out the possibility of running for office, saying that a possible candidacy would be “a big deal for the left”. He also stated that he will give preference to “building a base and relationships”.
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— I’m not going to be a candidate for governor. I ruled out that possibility. Anyone who was in my position, thinking only about elections, would go. But I’m not just thinking about elections. To face this, competence alone is not enough, you have to create a base of secretaries, state deputies, mayors, councilors — he said.
The deputy responded to criticism made by members of the right about his engagement in issues dear to Bolsonarism, such as Flávio’s campaign for the Presidency by saying that he will only be part of a project “if he knows what the plan, the strategy, the objective is” and that Minas will be his priority.
At the beginning of the week, in an interview with Metrópoles, Nikolas reinforced that he will be a candidate for re-election in Congress and said that the PL “is working to find a candidate in Minas”, casting doubt on the party’s support for Simões. Among the vice-governor’s allies, the possibility of the deputy running is seen as remote, but threatening for the PSD politician’s project of launching himself as the only competitive right-wing candidate in the state.
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Plate agreement
As part of the planning for the composition of his majority ticket, Simões has planned to leave room for the PL to occupy a seat in the Senate, due to an agreement signed with Bolsonaro last year. Among those listed are federal deputy Domingos Sávio (PL-MG), who presides over the state directory, and Nikolas’ father, pastor Edésio de Oliveira.
— President Bolsonaro, in the last meeting he had with me in Belo Horizonte, right before he was arrested, publicly stated that he wanted a Senate seat on my PL ticket. This position has been open and available to the PL since then. Presidents Valdemar, Domingos Sávio and José Santana know this. Deputy Nikolas too. I believe it is the design that makes the most sense for the PL in Minas — he told GLOBO.
The nomination for the vice position, previously seen as an option to accommodate the PL, should be the responsibility of Zema, a pre-candidate for the Presidency, who must choose a candidate from Novo. In the party, names such as Belo Horizonte councilor Fernanda Altoé, a personal friend of Simões, are being considered; former deputy Tiago Mitraud, described as a technical member of the party; and Gleidson Azevedo, mayor of Divinópolis and brother of senator Cleitinho Azevedo (Republicans).
Cleitinho, in turn, has demonstrated his intention to also run for the government of Minas and appears ahead of Simões in electoral polls. When contacted by GLOBO, Gleidson said he would “accept the challenge”, but only if his brother does not enter the dispute. (Bernardo Mello collaborated)
