The former governor of Goiás (), pre-candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, stated this Wednesday (27) that he intends to work alongside the former governor of Minas Gerais (Novo) to avoid divisions in the center-right camp during the 2026 electoral race.
The statement was made in (MT), where he participated in an event with agribusiness entrepreneurs. to unite on the same ticket in the first round of elections and had a meeting on Tuesday (26) to discuss the issue.
When commenting on the hypothesis of an alliance, the PSD pre-candidate said that the conversations have prioritized the construction of an environment of “peaceful coexistence” between names from the same political spectrum.
“In no way will we fall into the thesis of chaos, of separation”, he stated.
According to him, the central objective at this moment is to ensure that the different pre-candidacies of the center-right can reach the second round together, avoiding conflicts that weaken the group.
Caiado described the meeting with Zema as a strategic move, more focused on political coordination than the immediate definition of a ticket. “Each of us has our share and works. I really believe in the power of debates,” he said.
For the former governor of Goiás, it will be at this moment that candidates will have the opportunity to demonstrate their preparation, trajectory and ability to face issues such as corruption, public security and structural reforms.
He also acknowledged that he still faces knowledge challenges among the electorate. “Today, a significant part of the population still doesn’t know me,” he stated, indicating that exposure in TV debates could change this scenario.
The statements reinforce the tone adopted by Caiado since the meeting with Zema, held in São Paulo, when both discussed the possibility of alignment in the first round. Behind the scenes, however, allies believe that any more concrete definition should only occur close to the deadline for registering candidacies, in August.
Bolsonarism
Asked about the role of the Bolsonaro family in this process and about the need for “moral stature” to lead a presidential candidacy, Caiado said that it is up to the voter to evaluate possible erosion of other names and stated that he is only responsible for his own political trajectory.
“I am answering for my actions, for my 40 years of public life. I have never been involved in allegations of corruption, of dealings, of splits”, he declared.
The accusation of “cracking” is one of the main pillars of (‘s) candidacy, which was even denounced in court in 2020 for the case.
Caiado, this Wednesday, made a gesture of caution when dealing with the former president (PL), highlighting that the former president’s political capital cannot be ignored. “Like it or not, he is a man who goes out on the streets and has prestige,” he said.
The presidential candidate also stated: “If everyone has a problem, let them explain it. This cannot generate discord or dispersion among our bases.”
He argued that the priority, at this stage, is to avoid the “fraying apart” of this political field and to act so “that this fabric of the center-right does not break”.
Zema was criticized by Bolsonarists after attacking Flávio because of his connection with banker Daniel Vorcaro, from Banco Master. When the case was revealed two weeks ago, the former governor of Minas called the situation “unforgivable”.
