The sequence of the president’s (PT) agenda in Rio de Janeiro is part of a strategy by the PT’s team to take advantage of the weakening of the senator’s platform () in his electoral base.
Lula has sought to reap the benefits of the judge’s work as , whose management of the Guanabara Palace has been positively evaluated by the electorate, according to internal surveys. The magistrate has carried out audits of contracts and dismissals of possible ghost employees.
The PT team’s initiative aims to reverse the advantage that former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) obtained in the state in the last two years. The reduction of the difference, which was 14 percentage points in 2022 and 36 in 2018, is already considered an achievement by the campaign.
The president participated in five agendas alongside Couto this Monday (22) and Tuesday (23) in Rio de Janeiro.
The main event was the signing of the (Program for Full Payment of State Debts), which allows the refinancing of states’ debt with the Union through counterparts, such as investments in areas such as education.
The Rio de Janeiro management states that the debt with the Union, currently at R$210.6 billion, will fall to R$168.5 billion. From July onwards, the monthly installment paid by the state will reduce on average from R$436 million to R$119 million. This year alone, the relief is estimated at R$3 billion.
Lula also signed agreements under the New PAC (Growth Acceleration Program) for work in three favelas totaling R$700 million.
At events, Couto has tried to maintain a positive attitude, highlighting at the beginning of his speeches the fact that he is “not a politician”. However, he expressed gratitude at all the events at which he spoke for signing Propag, which he called a “gift” and a symbol of “unity, which we happily have in Rio de Janeiro today.”
The Union also negotiates with São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goiás to join the program.
In addition to the link with Couto, the president highlights the contrast with the previous administration, by Cláudio Castro (PL), an ally of Flávio. When announcing investments in favelas in the state capital, Lula took the judge by the arm, asked him for applause, and said that the interim governor had a “very noble task”.
“It’s trying to moralize politics and end corruption in Rio de Janeiro,” said the president.
Lula’s movement aims to take advantage of the weakening of Flávio’s platform in Rio de Janeiro. He gave up his pre-candidacy for the Senate after being the target of Federal Police operations regarding his relationship with former banker Daniel Vorcaro and businessman Ricardo Magro, in May.
The president of the Legislative Assembly, (PL), a pre-candidate for the government, saw his plan to take over the Guanabara Palace frustrated and use the exposure of the position to expand his knowledge among the electorate.
The (Federal Supreme Court) ordered Couto to remain in office until the ministers decide on how the buffer governor will be defined, who will command the state until December — whether direct or indirect election. The resumption of the trial depends on Minister Flávio Dino, who asked for a view to better analyze the case.
The judge, who is also president of the Court of Justice, took over the government in March after Castro’s resignation, on the eve of the trial in which the former governor was declared ineligible by the TSE (Superior Electoral Court).
Last in the line of succession, he took office because the state was without a vice-governor since the resignation of Thiago Pampolha last year to take up a vacancy at the TCE (State Audit Court). The then president of Alerj, Rodrigo Bacellar (União Brasil), was removed from office due to the investigation into leaked information about an operation against a former deputy linked to Comando Vermelho.
Ruas has already had two requests to take over the government.
Couto’s presence creates a less adverse scenario than that of the last presidential elections, in which he lost in the state.
In 2018, former governor Luiz Fernando Pezão (MDB) was experiencing an acute financial crisis and Fernando Haddad (PT), candidate for president at that time, did not have a strong platform. Philosopher Márcia Tiburi (PT) obtained just 5.85% of the valid votes.
In 2022, Castro was seeking re-election and won in the first round, with 58.67% of the valid votes. Former deputy Marcelo Freixo (at the time in the PSB), Lula’s platform, obtained 27.38%.
