‘Me and Lula are partners’, says Tarcísio – 02/01/2023 – Politics

The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), said this Wednesday (1st) that he and President Lula (PT) are now partners, referring to the alignment between the federal and state governments for the development of the country.

“For Brazil to do well, São Paulo has to do well. Now President Lula and I are partners,” he said at an agribusiness event promoted by XP Investimentos in São Paulo.

Allied with Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and elected with the support of the former president, Tarcísio has been dialoguing in a friendly way with the federal government to try to advance in projects such as the privatization of the Port of Santos (SP), one of his most ambitious claims that depends on the endorsement of the Lula government.

“Imagine São Paulo and the federal government united in a project that is important for Brazil, for São Paulo, for Baixada Santista and you lead this joint project even though you are in opposing political camps”, he said.

In his speech at the event, Tarcísio also praised Bolsonaro, whom he defined as the leader of the right, and said he did not want to inherit the right.

“People say a lot: you will inherit the right. I don’t want to inherit anything. And for me the great leader of the right continues to be Bolsonaro, who is a person with whom I developed a great friendship. So, I don’t have that interest “, said.

The governor said he had no political plans to succeed the former president and said he was focused on solving the state’s problems.

Questioned about his electoral intentions, Tarcísio replied: “zero”. And he said that he did not expect to be a minister or governor — it was the former president who launched Tarcísio in the state race.

“The day you arrive, become governor, with your back to the government, already thinking about the next step, you are dead. I want to enjoy this and do the best here in São Paulo”, he added.

The speech recalls the political movement of former governor João Doria (former PSDB), who arrived at Palácio dos Bandeirantes with presidential plans that did not materialize.

On a trip to Brasília last week for the meeting of governors, the issue of the Port of Santos was one of the agendas that Tarcísio intended to take to government members such as Rui Costa (Casa Civil) and Márcio França (Ports and Airports). The governor said that he will invest in the matter and that he sees privatization as the “redemption of Baixada Santista”.

“We are putting the arguments [para a privatização]. I had the opportunity to talk about this with President Lula. He said ‘I’m against it, but I’m ready to receive arguments, to be convinced, eventually if we realize that the project is good, I can change my mind, I have no dogma about it'”, Tarcísio told journalists at the event from XP.

“The same position we had from the Minister of the Civil House, who currently manages the partnership and investment project”, he added. The governor of São Paulo wants to meet with Márcio França, who last year vetoed the possibility of privatizing the port, to present arguments.

Tarcísio has already met with Lula three times in his first month in office. The first was on January 9, the day after the invasion and depredation of the headquarters of the three Powers by Bolsonarists. He considered not attending the governors’ meeting, but changed his mind after talking to different officials.

A day later, he met privately with Lula and some ministers. They dealt with the port of Santos and works in the region, in addition to transfers to health. The meeting was friendly and the Chief Executive published a photo shaking Tarcísio’s hand on social networks.

The last meeting was on Friday (27), at the meeting of governors. Tarcísio took Lula to demands such as financing for health, forgiveness or renegotiation of debts for philanthropic hospitals, readjustment of the SUS table, and support for mobility works.