Humberto Costa, the current president of the PT (Workers' Party), speaks about the election for his successor.

By Denise Assis, 247 - The dispute takes place this Sunday (6). The senator did not shy away from revealing his candidate: Edinho Silva, President Lula's favorite. However, he considers that the Workers' Party, with more than three million members and 45 years of existence, has the maturity to unite around the 2026 campaign, whatever the result from the polls.

With the departure of congresswoman Gleisi Hoffmann to the Ministry of Institutional Relations, Senator Humberto Costa was chosen to temporarily preside over the Workers' Party, which, this Sunday (July 6th), elected his replacement. The election, with a close race between four candidates, was followed with great interest. After all, the winner will be responsible for leading the 2026 campaign, bearing the responsibility of re-electing Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as President of the Republic. The race to preside over the largest party in Latin America, with more than three million members, included the candidates Edinho Silva – President Lula's preferred candidate and former mayor of Araraquara (SP) – Rui Falcão, who presided over the party three times; Walter Pomar, historian and one of the PT's leaders; and Romênio Pereira, administrator and PT leader. The dispute occurred during a period of confrontation between President Lula's government, whose bill to increase the Financial Operations Tax (IOF) was defeated in Congress, and the Speaker of the House, Hugo Motta. By breaking the agreement made for its approval, Motta exposed the class struggle to the entire country, raising the issue on social media. hasthag "Congress, enemy of the people." For the "commentators," the "us against them" campaign had begun; for the senator, it was just another "media fallacy against the party."

According to Humberto Costa, it is not the PT (Workers' Party) that is fueling the polarization. "The far right is waging a disloyal opposition, based on lies. They spread hate speech without any shame, and we, in order to defend ourselves and the interests of the majority of the population, have to engage in this confrontation," he reacts.

The senator denies that it is the PT (Workers' Party) that is betting on polarization with the far right. “At this moment we are seeing another polarization, which is based on ideas, on proposals, and the most important idea is this: who will pay to reduce tax injustice in Brazil? Who will pay so that the country remains in a situation of fiscal balance? So this polarization is a little different. But I consider that the polarization that is established with the far right is something that is independent of our desire, of our will,” he said.

Shortly before the interview began, the senator learned of the proposal by both Artur Lyra and the Speaker of the House, Hugo Motta, to prevent smaller parties from filing lawsuits in the Supreme Federal Court, and he immediately opposed the idea.

“I think this is flirting with authoritarianism, with the attempt to impose a majority in the National Congress that leaves no room for all ideas and conceptions. The Constitution is clear in stating that political parties, among other institutions, can appeal to the Supreme Court to guarantee the rights of the minority or the majority itself. This is part of the checks and balances we have in society. And this is a typically minority instrument. So, does this mean that now we are going to define the size of the minority that has the right to appeal to the Supreme Court when an interest or right of society or that minority is disregarded? It reveals an authoritarian and unacceptable nature.”