Alcolumbre negotiates Pacheco’s re-election and seeks to succeed him – 01/31/2023 – Politics

Former ally of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), Senator Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP) has become one of the main bridges between the PT and the Senate. He is one of those responsible for securing agreements seeking the re-election of Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG) to the presidency of the House.

In constant dialogue with members of the Lula administration, Alcolumbre articulates his permanence in command of the CCJ (Constitution and Justice Commission) —the most powerful in the Senate—, but from now on he is aiming for PT support for his project to run for Senate president in 2025.

Senators —allies and opponents of Alcolumbre— recognize that he is individually one of the main leaders of the House. Adjectives such as “fulfilling” agreements and a good political articulator are attributed to him.

In addition, parliamentarians point out that, in the four years of Bolsonaro’s administration, Alcolumbre was one of the main operators of the rapporteur’s amendments in the Senate, which guaranteed him ascendancy over his peers.

Even though this instrument was extinguished by decision of the STF (Federal Supreme Court), the assessment in Congress is that the negotiation for the use of these funds gave the senator great political capital.

Alcolumbre’s influence became a source of jealousy in the PT and, mainly, in União Brasil. In the assembly of the government, the center party had three ministries.

Shortly after the nominations, leaders and members of União Brasil complained that the PT team conducted the process in a haphazard way and ended up mainly contemplating Alcolumbre —on whose account two nominations are placed: that of the Ministers of Communications, Juscelino Filho (União Brasil), and Integration, Waldez Góes (PDT).

Although he belongs to the PDT and is only on leave from the party, former governor of Amapá Waldez Góes is close to Alcolumbre — the senator also articulated the appointment of the ally with governors of the Amazon region.

The third minister in the Union Brazil quota is elected deputy Daniela Carneiro, from Rio de Janeiro. She was the pivot of the first crisis involving the government, because of the connection of her political group with militiamen. The case was revealed by Sheet.

The argument of Alcolumbre’s critics is that, even with the handover of three ministries, not even half of the União Brasil benches in the Chamber and Senate would agree to join Lula’s base. The legend placed itself as “independent” in relation to the new government.

Faced with the complaints, party colleagues say that the climate is suspicious and that the senator is about to leave the acronym. When contacted, Alcolumbre told the Sheet that will continue in União Brasil.

“From zero to ten, the chance of me leaving União Brasil is zero”, said the senator this Monday (30).

To appease the situation of the party in the Senate, which will have nine members with the departure of Chico Rodrigues (União Brasil-RR), Alcolumbre decided to make room for former federal deputy and senator-elect Efraim Filho (União Brasil-PB) to take command from the bench.

Alcolumbre’s protagonism also became a reason for complaint among supporters of Pacheco’s main opponent in the dispute for the command of the Senate, Bolsonaro’s former minister and elected senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN).

Parliamentarians from the PL, PP and Republicans, parties that closed support for Marinho and decided to form a bloc, claim that it is Alcolumbre who “puts his hand in the dough” to elect Pacheco, and ironize that he will preside over the Senate indirectly.

Alcolumbre’s participation also irritated PSD senators, Pacheco’s acronym. Political rival of the senator in Amapá, Lucas Barreto (PSD-AP) complained to his colleagues that the election for the presidency of the House this year seems tied to that of 2025.

Other members of the bench also took criticism about Alcolumbre to Pacheco himself. Senators complained that he has been negotiating commissions and space on the Board of Directors without his colleagues; and that the Senate has become a game of marked cards.

On the other hand, Alcolumbre’s allies claim that he is just repeating what he did two years ago, when he worked as a kind of “campaign coordinator” to make Pacheco succeed him as president of the Senate.

After Lula’s victory, Alcolumbre even confided to people close to him that he would assume the leadership of the government if invited. After ministers indicated that this would not happen, the senator decided to pursue the presidency of the Senate once again.

Petistas argue that the government’s option to contemplate Alcolumbre is not aimed only at União Brasil, which is corroborated by parliamentarians from other parties.

Former president of the Senate and operator of the allocation of billionaire funds from rapporteur amendments among parliamentarians, Alcolumbre exerts influence over politicians from other parties, in the Senate and in the Chamber.

Petistas say that the bet on the senator took place in the face of promises that he would deliver about 23 votes in the Senate alone – that is, more than a quarter of the House.

Alcolumbre was one of the main responsible for the election of Pacheco as his successor. He was also instrumental in articulating the approval of the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution), which gave the new government room for budgetary maneuver.

The PT even vetoed Deputy Elmar Nascimento (União Brasil-BA) from being promoted to minister, which also caused strains in the government’s relationship with União Brasil.

After almost a month of talks, however, the government tends to give in to more requests from the União Brasil, and the scenario of adhesion of the acronym’s votes to agendas adopted by the PT is better today than in December.

Elmar should keep a nominee in charge of Codevasf (Development Company of the São Francisco and Parnaíba Valleys) and seeks to advance over other bodies, such as Dnocs (National Department of Works Against Droughts).