The president of the PSD, Gilberto Kassabreinforced this Friday (27) its support for the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans). The Secretary of Government of São Paulo also stated that the alliance between the two “annoys many”.
“There are people who have difficulty accepting solid, transparent and correct partnerships”, began Kassab in a text published on Instagram. “I have the privilege of being president of a party that has become large, respected and whose members include the best people in Brazilian public life.”
The president of the PSDB said that he has publicly supported Tarcísio since 2022. “More importantly: my demonstrations have the respect and support of our PSDB companions. This position bothers many. Those who bet on a separation between me, the PSDB and Tarcísio de Freitas will be disappointed,” he added.
In the publication, Kassab cited Tarcísio’s interview with TMC radio to reinforce the partnership with the governor, who praised the Government Secretary and denied a possible cooling of the relationship.
“This message of mine and Tarcísio’s interview this Thursday, February 26th, are recorded here as responses to those who do not understand that we need to change the way we do politics in Brazil”, he concluded.
Kassab’s publication comes after the governor’s allies admitted that there was a conflict with the president of the PSD, who lost space in the most strategic conversations around the Palácio dos Bandeirantes, as shown by CNN.
In this context, Tarcísio initiated articulations to guarantee the engagement of the PSD municipal structure in his support — a support considered strategic, but which is today viewed with caution by Kassab’s allies.
The PSD strategy
Kassab is expected to leave the São Paulo Government Secretariat next month. Publicly, he states that his departure will serve to dedicate himself to the party’s national strategy and to fulfill any electoral incompatibility — although, among the governor’s allies, the possibility of the leader appearing as vice-president on the ticket is considered remote at this moment.
The PSD currently commands one of the largest political machines in the state. The party brings together between 207 and 212 mayors among the 645 municipalities in São Paulo and, after a wave of affiliations — many of them coming from the PSDB —, it now holds the largest bench in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp).
This capillarity within the interior is seen by interlocutors at Palácio dos Bandeirantes as decisive for the re-election project.
Privately, Tarcísio’s allies admit concern about the level of commitment that the PSDB will place in the campaign. The assessment is that the governor must have the party formally on the ticket, but there are still doubts about the level of effective mobilization of the municipal structure.
*With information from Vinicius Murad and Pedro Venceslau, from CNN Brasil
