Former mayor of Contagem (MG), Marília Campos () stated this Thursday (25) that her party’s decision to launch its own candidacy for the Government of Minas Gerais is a “strategic mistake”.
(PT) to run for state government in October, Marília reaffirmed, in a note, her pre-candidacy for the Senate and argued that the PT should “lead the construction of a broad and competitive alliance”, citing parties such as PC do B, PV, PSB, MDB, Rede, PSOL and PDT.
According to Marília, there is difficulty for the left in consolidating a competitive candidacy for the Minas Gerais government, and the launch of its own name could “reproduce a strongly polarized dispute”.
“[A decisão] tends to place conflicts at the center of the debate that do little to address the concrete problems of Minas Gerais, in addition to hindering the formation of a political majority capable of sustaining the democratic project led by President Lula”, he said.
The pressure for Marília to run for Government of Minas Gerais increased after a meeting with Lula on Wednesday (24), in which the president indicated to PT members in the state his preference for the party’s own candidacy and mentioned the name of the former mayor.
After the meeting, the president of the PT of Minas Gerais, state deputy Leninha, confirmed the party’s decision to have a party name in the dispute. “The definitions regarding this project will be constructed in the coming days, based on dialogue between the party and political forces committed to a democratic and popular project for the state”, he said in a note.
The second state with the most voters, Minas Gerais is one of the main bottlenecks in the pre-candidacy for re-election of the President of the Republic.
In the statement shared this Thursday, Marília Campos also said that her candidacy for the Senate is the “only political availability” for the 2026 race. The former mayor stated that her decision “demonstrates political strength” and mentioned having the support of the national president of the PT, Edinho Silva.
“This is a strategic pre-candidacy because Minas does not currently have senators from President Lula’s base and because it represents an important advance in the female presence in majority positions,” he said.
“The pre-candidacy team reaffirms the conviction that Minas Gerais needs to build a broad democratic alliance to compete for the State Government, bringing together the parties that support the Lula government and prioritizing what unites progressive and democratic forces”, added Marília.
Lula hoping to convince the former mayor of Contagem to run for state government.
Politicians close to Marília state, with reservations, that the note released by PT-MG is yet another attempt to pressure her to give up her pre-candidacy for the Senate. According to allies, Marília has reiterated that she intends to maintain the electoral project.
She did not participate in the meeting of Minas Gerais leaders with Lula nor was she on the agenda held by the PT member in the state last week. On the occasion, the president announced investments in the health sector in Belo Horizonte and Divinópolis
The imbroglio in Minas Gerais for Lula was formed after the former president of the Senate Rodrigo Pacheco (PSB), as the PT member wanted. He announced the decision at the end of May, when he also said that he intends to leave public life after his term ends in January.
The Minas Gerais platform of the senator (-RJ), Lula’s main opponent for re-election, .
Members of the PL state that support for senator Cleitinho (Republicans) is today the PL’s main bet in the state and admit that the candidacy of businessman Flávio Roscoe (PL), former president of Fiemg (Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais) and newly affiliated, should only be launched if Cleitinho decides not to run.
Collaborated with Artur Búrigo, in Belo Horizonte
