Bolsonaro wants to elect right-wing mayors in 2024

Former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) returned to Brazil with the commitment to actively contribute to the success of the right in the 2024 municipal elections. opposition parties to elect 60% of all mayors in the country’s 5,568 cities, as well as reinforcing its desire to elect 1,000 mayors from the Liberal Party.

Bolsonaro signaled, however, that he will act not only for the PL. He also expressed interest in supporting PP and Republican candidates, parties supporting the candidacy for re-election in 2022, and also the Novo party, which is part of the opposition to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

The goal of electing 1,000 heads to the municipal executive had already been mentioned by Bolsonaro in other internal party meetings, and was highlighted again this Thursday, said federal deputy Filipe Barros (PL-PR), who was with the former president. in a closed meeting after Bolsonaro’s speech on arrival at the meeting with allies.

“We have the challenge in the municipal elections in which the president himself said that our goal is to elect 1,000 mayors. So, we are working on several fronts and our president is, of course, the person who will coordinate all of this together with the president [nacional do PL] Valdemar [Costa Neto]”, highlighted Barros.

The hypothesis that the PL elects 1,000 mayors would mean that the party would be in charge of around 18% of the country’s city halls. The goal was drawn based on the 99 federal deputies elected in last year’s elections, which represent almost 20% of the 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

“He showed concern [de eleger prefeitos] to the entire right, not just to the PL. He spoke about the PP, the Republicans and the New”, maintains former federal deputy Vitor Hugo (PL-GO), who ran for the government of Goiás in the last elections. “The goal is to win at least 60% of the mayors, the right as a whole. And this strengthens us for 2026 in any and all right-wing projects, “he added.

To his allies, Bolsonaro said he was a “soldier of the PL and the right”, says federal deputy Sanderson (PL-RS), chairman of the Chamber’s Committee on Public Security and Combating Organized Crime. “He said that he would work to elect the largest number of councilors and mayors in 2024”, he comments. “If he talked about politics, it was this: ‘let’s prepare for next year’s election'”, endorses deputy Joaquim Passarinho (PL-PA).

Bolsonaro shows desire to contribute with allies and not attack powers

At the meeting with the parliamentarians, Bolsonaro expressed his interest in working in a “contributory” way, says deputy Sanderson. “He does not return to attack anyone, he made it very clear, that he does not come to attack the STF [Supremo Tribunal Federal], the political class, or anything. He comes to contribute and knows its importance “, he highlights.

The chairman of the Chamber’s Public Security Commission claims that Bolsonaro made it clear, however, that federal deputies and senators, with their mandates, will have an obligation to promote right-wing ideas in Brazil within Congress.

“O [ex-]president Bolsonaro will be an important actor, of course, but, not having a mandate, he is limited to up to [espaço para] lines. That will be up to deputies and senators, but the fact is that the participation of the [ex-]president, today, in the political scenario, it will be a contributory participation”, maintains Sanderson.

Even on the verge of assuming the honorary presidency of the PL, a position he will hold from next week, Bolsonaro told his allies that Valdemar Costa Neto is the party’s president and will have the final word. “The boss is Valdemar and he made it very clear, so that no one can say that he is coming to take someone’s place”, comments deputy Joaquim Passarinho.

Deputy Filipe Barros reinforces Bolsonaro’s willingness to contribute to assisting in the process of organizing the opposition. “We are working on several fronts and our [ex-]president is the person who will coordinate all this together with president Valdemar”, he highlights.

Bolsonaro will dispatch from a room set up for him at the headquarters of the PL. “Everything is already prepared, including, there is a large space for it”, highlights Barros. “He said he’s going to start dispatching the party and assisting politically [os aliados em seu gabinete] and build an agenda”, adds Passarinho.

Strategic definition of opposition organization was not discussed

Even in a private meeting with allies, Bolsonaro did not deal in depth with the operational aspect of the opposition organization. Barros said that this Thursday’s agenda was to “receive and fraternize. Passarinho stressed that the atmosphere was one of festivity and welcome for his return, not a political agenda for defining strategies.

Opposition leader in the Senate, Rogério Marinho (PL-RN) reinforced the celebration aspect of the meeting. “I went to give him a hug, it was more a process of welcoming him, hugging him and saying that he is very welcome. During the week, we will talk about it [do processo de organização da bancada opositora]”, highlights.

Marinho says Bolsonaro returned “in a good mood” and “excited”. “I think he has a very big responsibility, he had 50% of the country’s votes, the country really needs the presence of the [ex-]president, is one of the greatest political leaders Brazil has ever had. The time, now, is for us to be calm, to welcome the [ex-]president, to do what has to be done and make the necessary resistance to avoid the setbacks that are being announced by this government”, he highlights.

Senator Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), leader of the minority in the Senate and former chief minister of Bolsonaro’s Civil House, reinforces that discussions on the conduct of the opposition will still be made. “We are going to organize all this with Valdemar, today is to rest, he will be with Michelle [Bolsonaro, presidente do PL Mulher]will go back home, have a quiet life now, calmer”, he comments.

Leader of the PL in the Senate, Carlos Portinho (PL-RJ) says that the PL’s Institutional Relations Secretary, General Braga Netto, is still “designing the strategy and planning model”, in which Bolsonaro will be inserted in the coordination process of the opposition. He emphasizes the municipal elections as the main aspect traced. “Now even more so with the presence of the [ex-]president, the party will be mobilized throughout the country”, he says.

Bolsonaro’s travel schedule will be defined soon, say allies

Although there is still no defined strategic and operational planning on how Bolsonaro will be inserted in the conduct of the opposition, allies reinforce the expectation for a travel agenda. “It is inevitable to make some travel agenda, the president himself has already said publicly that he must resume”, says Barros.

The deputy says that the idea is for Bolsonaro to go to each Brazilian state. “It will strengthen the party, talk to the political leaders, with the population, this is inevitable and will happen even with a view to the municipal elections. If we want our party to play a fundamental role, the [ex-]president has this understanding and will contribute through his physical presence in the states”, he highlights.

Nogueira reinforces that “traveling” the country will be a “natural” process. “I think it’s right, the municipal elections will start now, the process of choosing his candidates. The electoral strength of the [ex-]president Bolsonaro will be unprecedented in the country”, he comments.

Passarinho says that the trips will take place soon and assesses that, in whatever state Bolsonaro appears, he will cause a “very big” political “wound” wherever he goes. “Maybe not in all states, but there are regions in my state [Pará], in the south and southeast, where Bolsonaro won in almost every city. A trip of his to a city like that next year will do some damage. This is yet to be scheduled,” he says.

Despite this, federal deputy Bia Kicis (PL-DF), president of the Chamber’s Financial Inspection and Control Commission, clarifies that the matter was not discussed at the meeting with parliamentarians. “Today he just arrived on a trip, there’s nothing like that. He’s going to be honorary president of the PL, so let’s get to work”, she comments.

Bolsonaro clarifies trip to the US, talks about CPMI and criticizes the Lula government

In conversation with allies, Bolsonaro justified his trip to the United States and, according to deputy Sanderson, said that he “voluntarily” left Brazil to “help cool down” the political climate, but that he is willing to contribute to the confrontation with the left and to the Lula government. “The atmosphere was very pressured and, now, he is already participating [do processo de oposição] to the extent that he has been advising and, whether the left wants it or not, he is a strong leader”, he highlights.

Nogueira highlights Bolsonaro’s return and the popular appeal he has among voters. “Lula, today, is incarcerated. Either he goes to the Northeast or to some playpen, he doesn’t go out among the people. See if he leaves here, if he goes to the door. [ex-] president Bolsonaro, no, he goes to the middle of the people”, he opines.

For Portinho, Bolsonaro resumed his “face of happiness” upon his arrival in Brazil. He claims that the return of the former president reinforces the role of the opposition. “The government [Lula] has gone wrong a lot, and now [Bolsonaro] it is one more voice and a voice of leadership that joins us who resist here”, he highlights.

The senator says that Bolsonaro is aware of his role in the opposition and celebrates that the moment is important. “It is a time when the country is already experiencing the results of mismanagement, it is weighing on the citizen, all we talk about is taxes, charges, reform of the fiscal framework, which, without a doubt, should benefit the State machine”, criticizes Portinho.

The leader of the PL in the Senate assesses that the middle class will “suffer a lot” with a tax reform “the way the government is leading it” and considers important the union between the opposition parties, not just the PL. “Now how [ex-]President Bolsonaro present, body and soul, is a great reinforcement in the arguments and in this discussion”, he reinforces.