The statement by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) about the reach of social benefits among evangelicals opened a new front of political confrontation this Saturday (7).
The leader of the PL in the Chamber, deputy Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL-RJ), reacted publicly and accused the government of seeing the religious segment as an electoral base to be mobilized through the public machine.
The criticism came after Lula’s speech during the celebration of the 46th anniversary of the PT, in Salvador. When addressing the left’s difficulty in communicating with the evangelical electorate, the president stated that the majority of this public receives benefits from the government and defended that progressive parties begin to dialogue directly on the outskirts, without depending on the mediation of religious leaders. The speech was recorded by event participants and shared on social media.
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In response, Sóstenes stated in X that the declaration explains a utilitarian logic in the relationship between the State and voters. According to the deputy, linking faith, voting and public policies would be an attempt to “buy conscience” and reduce citizens to dependent on the government. For him, the episode reinforces the Palácio do Planalto’s electoral strategy for 2026.
The clash occurs at a time when the government seeks to reduce the distance in relation to evangelicals, a group that gained weight in the last elections and tends to align itself more frequently with conservative agendas.
