This was Haddad’s first official event as a pre-candidate for Palácio dos Bandeirantes, after the announcement on Thursday night (19)
The former Minister of Finance and pre-candidate for the government of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad (PT), defended that Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) remains in office as Vice President of the Republic alongside Lula in his bid for re-election. At a breakfast with journalists this Friday (20), Haddad stated that he is “the biggest enthusiast that the two make up a very important ticket for Brazil”.
“I think it’s natural that Alckmin is vice-president. Even considering the adjectives that the president himself [Lula] made a point of highlighting yesterday, in the act [que consegradou Haddad como pré-candidato]. He is a person who is very comfortable in the position and we are all also very comfortable with this decision for 2022. I am the biggest enthusiast that the two make up a very important ticket for Brazil. But let’s see how the conversations end,” he said, guaranteeing that he wants to hear the opinion of the vice-president himself, who is a figure “with a lot of experience in São Paulo”, having already governed the State four times. “We really want to hear what he, who knows the State, thinks, to make the best decision”, he added.
This was Haddad’s first official event as a pre-candidate for Palácio dos Bandeirantes, after in the Metalworkers Union, alongside Lula. This Friday, he was dismissed from his position as Minister of Finance.
Haddad did not talk, however, about the rest of the ticket. He preferred not to anticipate names or a profile of a possible vice president. He ruled out the possibility, at this moment, of taking a vacation or starting a tour of the State in April. Only now, officially as a pre-candidate, does he feel comfortable scheduling conversations with authorities and leaders, both to put together a ticket and draw up a government plan.
The former minister acknowledged that he may encounter difficulties in penetrating the interior of the Stateand attributed his defeat to the current governor, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), in the second round in 2022 to this. “The progressive field in general does better in the large centers, it’s normal for that to be the case. In 2022, I scored 55% [dos votos] in the metropolitan region and 35% in the interior. That was why [que perdemos]but this was the best performance of the progressive field in São Paulo. Now, we are better than ever, but the challenge of broader dialogue with more conservative sectors continues”, he highlighted.
About the current governor, Fernando Haddad ruled out the possibility of reversing decisions taken in case of victory, even if you disagree – such as the privatization of Sabesp.
The pre-candidate also commented on the support for running, and assured that he was willing to negotiate with the most diverse parties “as long as they do not interfere with the principles of the government plan” that will be put together. Haddad stated, however, that he will be comfortable if he has at his side the acronyms that have already supported him in 2022. “I think above all that, at the very least, we will have the same coalition as in 2022. I’m working with this scenario, from then on. If it stays that way, the same as in 2022, I won’t complain. If it’s possible to expand, we’ll try. But we don’t form an alliance by giving up principles and values.”
He also said that he imagines that the campaign will be very similar to the previous one, including with regard to Lula’s participation.
Future without Lula
Thinking about the 2030 election, Fernando Haddad was asked about his political future, after President Lula’s departure from political life in a few years – and He denied that he thinks that way.
“I don’t work with this calendar in politics. It’s one thing to plan a State, a city and a country. Another is your own future, especially Brazil politically. Building a reputation in politics is the work of a lifetime and destroying it is a minute. So, I don’t believe in anything other than “doing well for whatever is assigned”, he assured.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
