"I think it's irresponsible for us to compete for spaces."

Interview

João da Costa (PT), mayor of Recife

Gilberto Prazeres_247 – The main stakeholder in the political debate taking place within the Popular Front of Pernambuco, the mayor of Recife, João da Costa, maintains his stance that now is not the time for electoral discussions. He believes this type of initiative harms the governing coalition, classifying the current struggle for positions within the bloc as irresponsible. "I think it's irresponsible for us to try to have a struggle for positions within the Front right now," criticized the Workers' Party member.

In this first part of the interview, João da Costa states that, in Recife, the PT (Workers' Party) should not hold primaries, since there would be no open contest for the party's nomination for mayor of the municipality. "There is no established dispute for candidacy within the PT. Nobody has pre-registered," he emphasized. The mayor also reveals that he has been reporting to the national PT leadership on the progress of all actions he has been undertaking to position himself as the party's and the Frente's (Front) candidate in next year's elections.

The mayor has said that the focus now is exclusively on governance, but the atmosphere is tense within the Popular Front. How have you been dealing with this current phase?

With great tranquility, patience, and knowing that there are so-called political times. The political time I am experiencing is one of advancing in a process of legitimizing the administration I am carrying out. I spent two years with many political and health difficulties. I had even said that my government had truly begun in February of this year. This remains a political truth, because it was during this period that I had the full conditions to exercise the office. It was when I had the opportunity to manage with a renewed team. So, this is a recovery process that all political agents recognize. The government is now undergoing a process of political recovery of its image.

Is it solely a political image, or also an administrative one?

I say politically because, from an administrative point of view, we have been recovering. This is the moment for us to consolidate this government process. Now, it's not true that I'm not having political conversations. I just don't think it's the right time to define the electoral process now. So, politically, we try to talk, we try to listen.

Regarding these political discussions, the mayor has been taking advantage of "gaps" in his administrative schedules during trips to Brasília. You met twice with the national president of the PT (Workers' Party), Rui Falcão. What was discussed in those meetings?

We discussed the situation in Recife, the situation in Pernambuco, the PT's national project, the party's strategies for the elections in the capital cities, what the priorities are... You can't prioritize all the capital cities, but Recife is a priority for the PT. There's the whole project we're developing here, there's the PT's presence, which will be 12 years old soon. All of this was presented by President Rui Falcão. He understands Recife as a strategic city for the party, a political priority for the PT leadership. I know my responsibility in this process, so that the PT continues to govern Recife, together with other forces. I have reinforced the role of the Front. I am convinced that a city with the complexities of Recife cannot be governed alone. You have to govern with other forces, not only political, but also social and economic. These alliances are important, and they aren't just with parties. This is what I have been doing and reporting to the national PT.

So, will you detail the step-by-step process of your actions?

Yes. I also show my commitment, my willingness, my party commitment. I speak about how I see this need for the continuity of a political project, within a front. I think it's irresponsible for us to try to compete for space within the front now, for who leads, who ceases to lead. There's room for everyone. The front has made all the parties grow. The PT now has the mayor of the capital, a senator, and maintained its benches. The PTB elected a senator and increased its bench in the Legislative Assembly. The PCdoB has several mayoralties and increased its federal representation. The PDT has two federal deputies. So, from an electoral point of view, the Popular Front has benefited the parties. All the parties are leading this process. Of course, the PSB, governing the state, grew the most.

The recent withdrawal of Senator Marta Suplicy's (PT/SP) pre-candidacy for Mayor of São Paulo is a sign that, even in the most complicated cases, the PT can reach a consensus, avoiding primaries? She was competing with the Minister of Education, Fernando Haddad, for the party's nomination.

This has always happened with the PT (Workers' Party). Each city is a different reality, and the discussion takes place according to that reality. We've had exhausting processes and we've learned from them. At times, it's impossible to build unity. When it's impossible, the damage to the party is enormous. We need political maturity, we need humility so that we can build this unity. Every place is different.

And here, who needs to have that maturity?

Unity can only be built on the assumption that everyone involved in the political process practices maturity and humility. If individual projects prevail over the collective, there will be no unity. A minority will make a decision, which may not be the best outcome. That's part of building politics. People have virtues and flaws. At times, it's easier to build unity. I hope that in 2012, all of this will be taken into account when making decisions. I am trying to do my job here to be well-positioned at that moment.

The national Workers' Party (PT) has set March 30th as the deadline for registering primaries. Does the mayor believe that all internal party disputes can be resolved by this date?

Primaries occur when there is, in advance, a very clear dispute within the party. Today, in Pernambuco, there is no established dispute for candidacy within the PT. Nobody has pre-registered. So, what we have is political talk.

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