João Campos joins Bolsonaro’s former leader and bothers PT – 10/02/2023 – Power

A new articulation by the mayor of Recife, João Campos (PSB), united the PT and the political group of former senator Fernando Bezerra Coelho (MDB), former leader of the Bolsonaro government, in the same administration, in the capital of Pernambuco.

One of Fernando Bezerra’s sons, state deputy Antonio Coelho (União Brasil) took over the city’s Tourism Secretariat, on the recommendation of his brother, the former mayor of Petrolina Miguel Coelho (União Brasil), defeated in the dispute for the Government of Pernambuco in 2022.

The movement generated discomfort in PT wings, such as those around PT senators Humberto Costa and Teresa Leitão. However, the party is not planning a break and will continue to occupy positions in the city hall.

In the Bolsonaro government, Bezerra Coelho appointed an ally to command Codevasf (Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e do Parnaíba) in the Petrolina superintendency. The state-owned company is the target of investigations for lax tenders, overpricing and corruption. The company uses funds from parliamentary amendments for paving and machinery works.

The Lula (PT) government maintained Bolsonaro’s formula of using nominations for the state-owned company in exchange for political support in the National Congress. In the case of Petrolina, leadership passed into the hands of the PT.

In 2022, Miguel, Fernando and Antonio Coelho supported the re-election of then president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), of whom the former senator was leader for three years in the Senate.

The former parliamentarian was part of the riot police defending the Bolsonaro government at the CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) which investigated, in 2021, actions and omissions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The mayor is a supporter of Lula.

Despite the divergence in 2022, the political factor that unites the two groups is the opposition to governor Raquel Lyra (PSDB), who had Miguel’s support in the second round of the 2022 state election, while João Campos’s PSB supported Marília Arraes ( Solidarity).

After being victorious, Raquel Lyra even invited Miguel Coelho to be part of the government, but the former mayor of Petrolina understood that the space offered was not up to the group’s needs. Miguel’s allies believe that Raquel’s proposal was intentional, so that Coelho was practically forced to refuse.

João Campos even said that he is “not afraid of shadows”, when mentioning the alliance with the Coelhos, in the new secretary’s inauguration speech. The speech was seen as a message to governor Raquel Lyra.

Since then, Raquel Lyra has not made any new nods to the Coelho clan. Antonio Coelho, new municipal secretary, criticized government projects in the Legislative Assembly.

The alliance should have implications for the 2024 elections in Recife and the 2026 state election. With the Coelhos’ rapprochement with the PSB after seven years, João Campos practically seals União Brasil’s support for his candidacy for re-election.

The mayor is also an ally of Luciano Bivar, national president of the party. With this, he tries to isolate federal deputy Mendonça Filho, PSB’s rival, in União Brasil.

Furthermore, João Campos has the support of the PDT and Republicans and is trying to consolidate that of the PT, which has two secretariats in the municipality.

In 2026, the Coelho clan should have a place on the majority ticket to be supported by João Campos. If the mayor is a candidate for governor, Miguel Coelho could occupy one of the vacancies for the Senate race. Another candidate for the majority is the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho (Republicans), who wants to be a candidate for senator.

The movement caused discomfort in the Pernambuco PT. Senator Humberto Costa complained about João Campos’ alliance with the Coelho clan and said that the party was not heard by the mayor.

“I found it very strange. I have a good relationship with Fernando Bezerra, but we have very big differences with the political group he leads. It was an approach that took place without actors who are with the PSB in the city hall having been heard. The PT was not called for this discussion, to say what you think, whether it is good or not”, says the PT member.

Interlocutors of Senator Teresa Leitão, another PT leader in the state, also say that she was dissatisfied. The parliamentarian did not speak publicly on the matter.

Asked about the reaction of the allied base, Mayor João Campos recalled Lula’s alliances with segments that did not support his candidacy in 2022 to ensure governability in Congress.

“We made an alliance following President Lula’s teachings. I learned how to do politics by joining forces to have a project that delivers a better quality of life to people. So, that’s how we’re going to continue doing it,” he stated.

PT groups assess that there is an attempt by the mayor to strengthen and isolate Lula’s party. On the other hand, the president of the PT in Recife, Cirilo Mota, attended Antonio Coelho’s inauguration and spoke. He stated that it is time to think about projects for Recife. He is not part of the internal groups of the two senators in the PT.

The state president of the PT, Doriel Barros, said, on Friday (22), that the party has Humberto Costa as a pre-candidate for governor in 2026. The senator, however, said that he will be a candidate, but does not yet know whether governor or for re-election to the Senate.

The agreement with João Campos also provides that the PSB will support the re-election of the mayor of Petrolina, Simão Durando (União Brasil), former deputy of Miguel Coelho.

In 2022, Miguel Coelho criticized the PSB during the campaign for state government. He stated that the party “is good at apologizing and mimimi”. Asked about the change of position, he said that “what held PSB back has already left the party”, in reference to former governor Paulo Câmara, current president of Banco do Nordeste.

The vacancy that Antonio Coelho occupied at the Tourism Secretariat was opened after the PSD split with João Campos. The party, led in the state by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, André de Paula, left office and chose to join the government of Raquel Lyra, a setback for the mayor of the capital, who reacted with the alliance with the Coelho clan.