Right councilors have led systematic digital opposition to the mayor of, (), in the second term. The counterpoint to the chief executive happens mainly on social networks, an area that is one of the main focuses of the manager’s communication.
Throughout the first term, João Campos emerged as. On Instagram, for example, the mayor has 2.9 million followers. The wide communication potential contributed to expanding its popularity in the city.
From 2021 to 2024, the opposition to João Campos also had a profile on the right. However, councilors had no significant reach on social networks. Since January 2025, three parliamentarians – elected for the first time the year before – assumed the protagonism in digital opposition to the mayor: Eduardo Moura (Novo), Gilson Machado Filho () and Thiago Medina (PL).
For Gilson Filho, the opposition has not only had a change of councilors, but also the way to communicate with the population.
“The opposition leader in the previous term [Alcides Cardoso] He was a very technical councilman, one of the most triggered Recife City Hall. But he could not disclose what he did or even reach social networks. So the population ended up receiving the information that the mayor spread. Now we have an opposition in the same bubble as the mayor swam alone, “he says.
Eduardo Moura (Novo) is a journalist and former presidenter of police programs on television. The councilman has more than 326,000 followers and makes periodic inspections to point out reef management gaps, such as failures in care in health facilities and delays in works.
This is Eduardo Moura’s first elective term. Joao Campos’s allies have detected that the parliamentarian’s performance even reaches the mayor’s voters, which lit the PSB alert regarding the reach of the new politician.
One of Moura’s inspections generated controversy in March, when the parliamentarian went to a Recife polyclinic to denounce delay in patient care. In the recording, people appeared dissatisfied with the waiting in the calls. The councilman went to the scene, entered the health unit and questioned the delay in providing services. One of the videos recorded at the time exceeded 1.5 million views.
At the time, the Pernambuco Public Prosecution Service issued a recommendation so that councilors did not enter health units without prior communication.
“It was important to have happened, I went to MP-PE, talked to the promoters about what I can do. I do not enter with office, in red rooms, what I never did. I think health is the big callus of the city of Recife,” says the councilman.
Eduardo Moura says he does not consider herself a scholarship. However, he claims to prefer former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) to the current President Lula (PT). “I’m right -wing, but I’m not a scholarship. Bolsonaro is not my idol. My idol is Jesus.”
The right opposition in Recife, however, has no political binding with Governor Raquel Lyra (PSD), João Campos’ main political opponent. Next year.
The absence of Raquel’s involvement in the articulation of confrontation to João Campos is criticized by parliamentarians from the right. The governor’s party has two councilors in the city.
“I’m doing her service basically [da governadora]. What undermines the image of the mayor is not me, is the reality of Recife. But she should have a conversation with the councilors to understand how the camera works. It’s not a talk of offering advantages, “says Moura.” This articulation of the Raquel government is missing. Between her and John, I stay with her a thousand times, “says Gilson.
With 147,000 Instagram followers, Gilson Machado Filho is 27 and is the son of former Bolsonaro government tourism minister Gilson Machado (PL).
Gilson Filho’s performance also includes going to streets without paving on the outskirts of Recife and City Hall public buildings to ask questions. Video recording during these visits is usual.
Bolsonaro’s defense is another central element of Gilson Filho’s speeches during speeches. The parliamentarian often makes criticism of Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court.
For 2026, the three councilors may be candidates for other positions. Eduardo Moura was first included in. In the survey, released on August 22, he appears with 4% of voting intentions. Nevertheless, he rules out a majority position next year.
“I do not intend to apply for any position. Who sends the party. The new has barrier clause to overcome. It may try to put me as a candidate for federal deputy,” he says. “The chance is zero [de disputar para governador ou senador].”
Gilson Filho is quoted in the PL to be a candidate for federal deputy. He and his father, who is a candidate for the Senate, are close to the family of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
Another name of the Digital Opposition Shock Troop is Councilman Thiago Medina has content on social networks more focused on the production of viral videos, although also criticizing João Campos and President Lula (PT).
Medina, 22 years old, has a similar profile of acting to whom she had support for councilor in 2024. He, who has 77,000 followers, is quoted to be a candidate for state deputy next year.
Behind the scenes, the surroundings of Mayor João Campos admits that opposition councilors currently have a significant reach in social networks, but that this does not shake the mayor’s reach in the digital field. Another bet is that, over time, these parliamentarians will lose strength on platforms and may even fall into contradictions in discourses throughout the political trajectory.
