The governor of Paraná, . (), one of the three pre-candidates for the Presidency of his party, stated this Wednesday (4), after a lunch with representatives of the financial sector, that the party can bring forward the deadline for choosing the name that will run this year as an alternative to Lula (PT) and (PL).
“I think there is an environment for [definir] until the end of March, or even earlier”, he stated.
The president of the PSDB, , has been saying that the party will announce the decision by April 15th.
Ratinho Jr. competes for the party’s nomination against the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, , and Goiás, . The three will participate in a joint PSD event in São Paulo this Friday (6).
“The good part is that we have maintained a relationship with President Kassab, plus the governors, plus some important actors within the party, and everyone is well aware that whoever is chosen there, everyone will walk together”, said Ratinho Jr, upon leaving a lunch promoted by ABBC (Brazilian Association of Banks) in a restaurant on Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, in the west zone of São Paulo.
Ratinho Jr. said that the party has not yet opened conversations about the composition of the rest of the ticket, but did not rule out that the vice-president could be one of the two candidates who would not receive the nomination.
“Could it be [uma chapa pura]but we never discussed it, I confess we didn’t think about it in the meetings, but I think it’s extremely possible, especially because everyone there has electoral density”, stated the governor.
According to electoral legislation, any governor who wants to run for President has until April 4 to leave office. In the PSD, there is an expectation that passed-over pre-candidates will seek a seat in the Senate.
Ratinho Jr. said that, for now, he is not evaluating this option. “Not at first. I prefer to help whoever the candidate is, be in coordination in the South region of the country, in the Southeast, and then see what to do, go back to the private sector.”
