President concentrates more than half of trips in SP, RJ and MG in 2026; Salvador appears as a highlight in the Northeast, with 4 visits
The president (PT) maintains the pattern of previous years at the beginning of 2026, the election year: the majority of national trips are destined for the Southeast. So far this year, the PT member has made around 30 trips to 10 states.
The Southeast concentrated more than 60% of commitments outside Brasília. São Paulo leads: at least 10 visits to municipalities in the State, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with 5, and Minas Gerais, with 4. The region has the largest number of voters in the country, with approximately 66 million, according to .
In 2022, the Southeast was decisive for Lula’s victory in the elections. The PT received more votes than in 2018 in the 2nd round, when it competed with .
Lula secured platforms in 3 of the 4 states in the region. In Rio de Janeiro, it is closed: the mayor of Rio, (PSD) is a pre-candidate for state government and has the declared support of the president. In São Paulo, the former Minister of Finance (PT) will be a candidate for government.
In Espírito Santo, the federal deputy (PT) is the name chosen to run for state government. On Monday (March 30), the congressman met with Lula in Brasília and received the president’s approval to run as a candidate for Palácio Anchieta.
“I spoke with President Lula and he declared support for my pre-candidacy for the State government. I am happy with the trust and ready to lead a majority project that includes all Espírito Santos”declared Solomon.
Minas Gerais remains without definition. It is a strategic state – the 2nd largest electoral college in the country. This year, Lula was there twice, passing through Juiz de Fora, Ubá, Betim and Sete Lagoas. On February 28, the PT member areas hit by heavy rains in Minas Gerais’ Zona da Mata.
The president is trying to consolidate an alliance for 2026 in the most electorally disputed state in the country. Continues to invest in the candidacy of the former president of Congress (PSB-MG) to the state government, but the senator has not yet given the green light. On Wednesday (1st April), Pacheco to PSB. He didn’t say he would run in Minas.
NORTH EAST
In the Northeast, Salvador stood out as the most frequent destination in the region, with 4 visits by Lula – all to the capital of Bahia. Bahia is governed by (PT), an ally of the president, and constitutes a solid electoral base for PT. Fortaleza was visited on one occasion, at the end of March and beginning of April.
But not all of the Northeast is peaceful terrain for Lula. The PT member faces internal disputes in at least 4 states.
In Maranhão, the conflict between the governor (no party) and the STF minister caused an impasse in the local electoral scenario.
In Pernambuco, the mayor (PSB) wants exclusive support from Lula, while the governor (PSD) presses for the president’s neutrality in the state.
OTHER REGIONS
South and Central-West were once again ignored. In the entire 1st quarter, Lula was only in the South once, in Rio Grande (RS), and visited 2 states in the Center-West: Campo Grande (MS) and Anápolis (GO).
In Rio Grande do Sul, the definition of a platform is also open. Former state deputy (PDT) and the president of , (PT), are competing for nomination as head of the government ticket. The tendency is for the formation of a single center-left platform.
The North was forgotten. The president has not yet visited the region in 2026.
The pattern is similar to that observed in 2025, when each of these regions received the president only 3 times throughout the entire year.
GOVERNMENT ACTIONS DOMINATE
Lula had at least 64 commitments and 51 of them are linked to government announcements in 2026. On at least 3 occasions, the PT member traveled for political-party actions:
- January 23 – the closing of the 14th National Meeting of the Landless Rural Workers Movement, in Salvador;
- February 7th – at the celebration of PT’s 46th anniversary, in Salvador;
- March 19 – to São Bernardo do Campo (SP) to announce the pre-candidacy of (PT) for the government of São Paulo.
