Lula mobilizes ministers, and Boulos becomes a federal showcase – 10/18/2023 – Power

President Lula (PT) ordered assistants to empower the pre-campaign of federal deputy Guilherme Boulos (PSOL) for São Paulo City Hall.

The objective is to give the parliamentarian a leading role and help him politically capitalize on federal initiatives in the city, as a way of counteracting the weight of control of the municipal machinery by the current mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB), who will run for re-election.

The coordination of Palácio do Planalto is considered fundamental by allies of Boulos because the expectation is that Nunes will have the support of governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) and former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

Given Lula’s guidance to “steer the boat” of Boulos’ candidacy, the deputy became a constant figure in prestigious agendas led by Lula and, mainly, in ministers’ appointments in São Paulo.

The psolist has widely explored partnerships with the federal government on his social networks.

On August 24th, the Chief Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa (PT), was at Fiesp (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo) to present the new PAC (Growth Acceleration Program), an investment program for the federal government.

Boulos was the minister’s only guest, who addressed him as the “future mayor” of the capital of São Paulo in front of the businesspeople at the meeting.

Another who has reinforced the parliamentarian’s pre-campaign is the chief minister of the Institutional Relations Secretariat, Alexandre Padilha (PT), who is from São Paulo.

The person responsible for the government’s political articulation has taken advantage of political meetings to mobilize PT members and to reaffirm support for the PSOL deputy. At one of these events, he stated that, with Lula in the Presidency and Boulos in São Paulo, people from São Paulo will “return to the dream of Minha Casa, Minha Vida”.

Camilo Santana (PT), Minister of Education, partnered with the federal deputy in announcing federal resources for works on the east zone campus of Unifesp (Federal University of São Paulo). Boulos himself broke the news that the funds would be released.

“I have very good news for São Paulo — especially for the east zone,” he said in May, in a video recorded alongside Camilo, dean Raiane Assumpção and MEC’s ​​Secretary of Higher Education, Denise Pires De Carvalho.

“The minister made the commitment that, once licensed, he will place the tender to begin the work the following day,” said the PSOL deputy.

Boulos also monitors the creation of a federal institute in Jardim Ângela and Cidade Tiradentes, on the outskirts of the city.

“We will soon have a Federal Institute in Jardim Ângela and Cidade Tiradentes. A very important achievement for both regions”, he wrote on his networks, on October 6th.

The BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development) also became a platform for Boulos’ pre-campaign.

The deputy was included by the president of the institution, PT member Aloizio Mercadante, in discussions about the creation of a line of credit for companies that produce or are interested in producing electric buses in Brazil.

The expectation is that the issue of electrification of the public transport fleet in São Paulo will be present in next year’s municipal election.

Furthermore, Boulos has gained visibility in monitoring actions by the Ministry of Health, such as the expansion of the oncology area at the Santa Marcelina hospital in Itaquera, in the east zone, and the construction of a hospital in Santo Amaro, in the south zone of the capital. He was received by Nísia Trindade to discuss these topics.

Together with the Social Development department —headed by Wellington Dias (PT)—, the parliamentarian articulated the institution of the solidarity kitchen program, of his authorship. This idea was included in the proposal to reissue the government’s Food Acquisition Program.

With Lula’s approval, he was appointed rapporteur on the topic in the National Congress. At political events, Padilha has said that Boulos was chosen as rapporteur because the president trusts him.

The PSOL pre-candidate will also be responsible for coordinating the dialogue table established by the Ministry of Human Rights to develop an action plan for the homeless population.

Boulos told Sheet act to unlock investments in São Paulo. He stated that Lula’s involvement will be fundamental to building a successful campaign in the capital, where the PT member surpassed Bolsonaro in the presidential race.

“I’m proud to be Lula’s ally, unlike Ricardo Nunes, who tries to hide Bolsonaro,” he declared.

In addition to the actions of ministries focused on São Paulo, Boulos has received special treatment from Planalto in the president’s agendas. He was one of those invited to join the delegation that accompanied Lula to New York for the opening speech of the UN General Assembly (United Nations).

In the city, he had a meeting with former Democratic mayor Bill de Blasio, continuing a calendar of meetings with foreign leaders to try to project the face of an experienced and moderate politician.

For the first time in history, the PT will not have its own candidate in the country’s main capital. The commitment was signed in 2022, when Boulos resigned from running for the Government of São Paulo in support of the candidacy of today’s Finance Minister, Fernando Haddad (PT).

Since then, Lula has worked personally to suppress any movement to launch the PT’s own candidacy in São Paulo. The president even approached PT parliamentarians to reiterate that there is no alternative to Boulos’ name in the party. He also committed to participating in campaign agendas alongside the parliamentarian.