Marina says the centrist bloc is a 'dream-blocker'

Presidential pre-candidate Marina Silva, from the Rede Sustentabilidade party, criticized the political group known as the "centrão" (center bloc), unofficially formed by PP, DEM, Solidariedade, and PRB. Explaining her distancing from these parties, Marina stated that they cannot be the focus of attention in the 2018 elections because they are "obstacles to the Brazilian dream."

July 13, 2018, 08:15 pmUpdated May 29, 2019, 20:10 AM

Marina says the centrist bloc is a 'dream-blocker' (Photo: Wilson Dias/Agência Brasil)

247 - Presidential pre-candidate Marina Silva, from the Rede party. Sustainability, He criticized the political group known as the "centrão," unofficially formed by PP, DEM, Solidariedade, and PRB.In explaining her distancing from these parties, Marina stated that they cannot be the center of attention in the 2018 elections. Because they are "intermediaries of the Brazilian dream."

Read an excerpt from Marina Silva's speech:

"The centrist bloc in Brazil ends up being the pendulum that tries to pull any candidacy that emerges on the national scene towards its agenda—which, in my understanding, is not in Brazil's best interest. They know that, regarding me, I already have a choice: that the centrist bloc should not be at the center of the 2018 elections." "The Brazilian people, the Brazilian citizens, should be at the center of the great transformation that Brazil needs. Enough of the 'centrist' bloc outsourcing Brazil's changes to what interests them," she said. After the press conference ended, Marina added: "They are the intermediaries of the Brazilian dream."

The pre-candidate's criticisms arise amidst the excitement of this electorally important political segment announcing who it will support. Leaders and directors of these parties have been meeting frequently and are divided between Geraldo Alckmin and Ciro Gomes.

"In practice, the support of the centrist bloc is seen as the deciding factor in the election. The electoral bounty offered by the bloc is at least 4 minutes and 12 seconds per day in the radio and TV election broadcasts, which begin on August 31st. These four parties alone – DEM, PP, Solidariedade, and PRB – have 124 representatives and significant political platforms, mainly in the Northeast and Southeast. Although the largest party in the group is the PP, the strength of the DEM can be measured by its control of the Chamber of Deputies, an area of influence that the party wants to maintain in the next legislature."

Marina Silva, however, has had difficulty bringing together major parties for her campaign. Officially, she maintains dialogues with less prominent parties, such as PPS, PHS, PROS, and PV, some of which are also negotiating with Alckmin.