A wing of the do defends the withdrawal of (PL)’s pre-candidacy for the Senate after he was nominated this Friday (15). For this group, together with part of the centrão, there is the possibility of contamination in the campaigns of (PL) for the Presidency and of (PL) for the government of Rio de Janeiro.
Another part of the PL defends calm and says that the former governor of Rio cannot be abandoned abruptly. These supporters believe that it is necessary to wait and emphasize that Castro, in addition to the recall, has a series of mayors under his umbrella. An eventual change of candidacy, they say, could only occur at his will and at a less turbulent time.
PF investigations indicate that Castro used the state machinery to facilitate crimes attributed to the businessman, owner of Refit. The complaints indicate that high-ranking public agents would receive more than R$300,000 per month to facilitate the group’s processes.
In the PL, the most dissatisfied group considers that Castro is electorally toxic and assesses that the PF operation buries an already staggering candidacy. A group of allies from the center of Rio de Janeiro share this opinion.
They remember that the former governor (Superior Electoral Court) was ineligible. He escaped impeachment by resigning the day before the trial, but the soap opera is not over, and his ineligibility remains questioned in court.
In this way, this wing of the PL understands Castro as a figure who could hinder Douglas Ruas’ pre-candidacy for the Government of Rio. The assessment is that an association will naturally be made between the two, with the state deputy being seen as a direct successor to the former governor.
The fear is also of contamination of the pre-campaign for the Presidency. The former president’s son is from Rio de Janeiro and had a political career in the state. In other words, the scandals involving the ally explode precisely in the senator’s primary electoral base.
This wing of the PL assesses that the former mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Paes (PSD), who is a pre-candidate for the Government of Rio de Janeiro, has been successful in associating Ruas as the successor to the former governor. The fear is that, once Castro’s pre-candidacy continues, new scandals could unfold during the campaign.
An ally exemplifies that it will be impossible to undo the association because Castro, Ruas and Flávio will even compete with the same number. It will be “222” for senator directly associated with the “22” that will be used by Flávio Bolsonaro and Douglas Ruas at the polls.
This group intends to talk to Flávio in the coming days so that the presidential candidate can talk to Castro about the possibility of withdrawing. Meanwhile, another wing of the PL will advise the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro not to make decisions now.
The group closest to Castro remembers that he still has strength among the mayoral base and that a departure soon after the PF operation would send the message that the former governor, and perhaps the party, is to blame. This wing argues that, for reasons of political loyalty, only the former governor could withdraw his pre-candidacy for the Senate.
On the betting table for Castro’s possible replacement is federal deputy Carlos Jordy (PL). The parliamentarian from Rio de Janeiro has previously expressed his desire to run for the Senate. Federal deputy Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL) is also remembered. Both were targets of .
THE OPERATION
The Castro government is accused of making decisions that facilitated alleged fraudulent operations by the Refit group and of hindering investigations and prosecutions against Magro’s companies. Among the facilities, it approved a law that divided R$9.5 billion in debts with a 95% discount on fines and interest.
The complaints indicate that high-ranking public agents would receive more than R$300,000 per month to facilitate the group’s processes. An income inspector is accused of having accumulated more than R$12 million in bribes in recent years.
In a statement, Castro’s defense says that it was surprised by the operation, that the former governor “is at the disposal of the Court to give all explanations, convinced of his integrity” and that all procedures during his administration complied with the technical and legal criteria of current legislation, including those related to the state’s tax incentive policy.
