The chiefs’ fear is that of a possible operation involving the pre-candidate, currently under investigation by the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro for an alleged scheme involving gas stations controlled by oranges.
Governor Cláudio Castro’s withdrawal from running for a Senate seat in Rio reopened an internal dispute in the Rio de Janeiro PL. Sources heard by Young Pan this Thursday (28) defend the immediate replacement of Castro with a name more aligned with Bolsonarism, in the midst of a movement that is already contaminating the alliance with União Brasil.
This column found that a wing of the PL has expressed discomfort with the name of Márcio Canellamayor of Belford Roxo and president of União Brasil in Rio, chosen by the party to run for one of the two seats in the Senate in 2026. The fear of the chiefs is that of a possible operation involving thedefendant, currently under investigation by the Rio de Janeiro Public Ministry for an alleged gas station scheme controlled by oranges. The defense, within the PL, is for a double replacement: both the name of the party and that of the Union nominee, before the campaign actually takes to the streets.
Canella has consolidated power in the PL recently. In March, he was elevated to the presidency of União Brasil-RJ after the inactivation of the state directory led by Rodrigo Bacellar, who was revoked by the TSE. Former state deputy for three terms and mayor elected in the first round in 2024, he has the endorsement of senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and the national president of the Union, Antônio Rueda. The investigation opened by the MPRJ, however, raised the alarm in the PL and strengthened the argument of those who want to review the composition of the ticket.
Internally, federal deputies Carlos Jordy, Sóstenes Cavalcante and senator Carlos Portinho, all from PL-RJ, are the names most likely to inherit the vacancy left by Castro.
