José Luiz Datena terminated the contract with Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC) to contest the 2026 elections. The departure, confirmed through a statement from the state-owned company, paves the way for the presenter to run for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies for the PSB. The invitation was articulated by vice-president Geraldo Alckmin and former minister Márcio França, tipped to run for the Senate or as vice-president on Fernando Haddad’s ticket for the government of São Paulo.
EBC stated that Datena communicated “personal decision to terminate the contract”. The broadcaster thanked the presenter for his services on the programs: “Na Mesa com Datena”, on TV Brasil, and “Alô Alô Brasil”, on Rádio Nacional.
Last week, Datena said that the candidacy was “almost certain”. According to him, only details were missing to confirm entry into the dispute. On the occasion, he highlighted that Alckmin and França “think about the good of the country”.
It is the second time in less than two years that the presenter has left his job at a broadcaster to seek a place in politics. In 2024, he left Band to run for Mayor of São Paulo with the PSDB. He finished in fifth place, with 1.84% of the votes. The race was marked by the “chair” episode – when Datena used a chair to attack her then opponent Pablo Marçal during a debate.
