Campos: Now is the time to "join forces, not subtract"

PE247 - The governor of Pernambuco and virtual candidate for the Planalto Palace in the next presidential elections, Eduardo Campos (PSB), avoided a direct confrontation with President Dilma Rousseff (PT). According to behind-the-scenes information leaked to the press, the PT would be pressuring President Dilma to reclaim the positions that the PSB holds in the federal administration this month. Indirectly, Campos conveyed the message that this is not the time to amplify the political wear and tear that President Dilma's government has been experiencing. According to him, at this moment it is necessary to think about unity. "When we are in difficulty, we have to join forces, not subtract," said the governor during an event held on Monday morning (16), in Recife.

President Dilma and the PT (Workers' Party) have long been irritated by Campos' constant political maneuvering. The final straw, however, was reportedly a meeting between the socialist and Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB) from Minas Gerais, who also aspires to run for president in 2014. As a result of the meeting, a non-aggression pact was allegedly signed between them, along with discussions about forming state-level alliances and a possible coalition of forces in a potential second round. Furthermore, Campos' constant criticism of the Dilma government, especially regarding economic policy, is said to have deeply irritated the PT member.

Last Friday (13), for example, during a party event in Maranhão, Campos again attacked the president and some of her allies, especially the Sarney clan, which has controlled the state for over 30 years. “Our unity must be focused on very clear ideas and values ​​that are part of our history. At a time when we are experiencing a serious crisis of expectation about the direction of the country and the world, we cannot lose sight of what is primary and what is secondary. Our commitment is to the future of Maranhão and the country,” he stated on that occasion. In Maranhão, the PSB tends to support the current president of Embratur, Flávio Dino (PcdoB), in the dispute for the state succession. Dino is one of the biggest adversaries of the Sarney family in the state, which includes Senator José Sarney (PMDB), an ally of President Dilma in Congress.

Regarding the issue of positions, Campos reportedly also said, “Politicians must know what they are going to do when they take office because four years go by very quickly. A leader shouldn't worry about handing out positions. They should focus on assigning tasks. We need to sweep away old vices and bet on merit, planning, and delivering results for the population. There is no lack of popular or political support for those who keep their promises and honor their word,” he emphasized.

The fact is that tensions between the two parties have been growing rapidly. Last week, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) himself reportedly spoke with President Dilma Rousseff to try to show her that an abrupt break with the PSB, with the consequent resumption of the positions held by the party, would be detrimental to the PT. According to the PT president, such a measure would only give ammunition for the PSB to abandon the government coalition altogether, strengthening the opposition, and would also force the PT to bear the burden of breaking with its hitherto historical ally.

Regardless, there is an expectation that President Dilma will summon Campos for a meeting in Brasília sometime this week. At that meeting, the Workers' Party member is expected to demand a clear position from the governor regarding next year's gubernatorial elections. Depending on the content of the conversation, both the Workers' Party and the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) may begin to define the direction of their electoral campaigns sooner than expected.