The PT-PSB war claims its first victim: Armando

Mariana Almeida - The declared war between the PT and the PSB may claim its first victim: Senator Armando Monteiro (PTB-PE), who is trying to attract PT members in search of an alliance for next year's election. This is because the Workers' Party may opt for its own candidacy, with the name of federal deputy João Paulo heading the ticket, as pointed out this Friday (10) by the columnist of Jornal do Commercio, Cláudio Humberto. "Modesty is not Senator Armando Monteiro's (PTB) strong suit: he is trying to make the PT give up running for the government of Pernambuco to support him," says the text. Armando, however, has the support of former President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, who advocates for the PT to withdraw from the state government, and support for the PTB parliamentarian's ticket.

Since the PSB relinquished its positions in the Federal Government, there has been animosity between members of the two parties (PT and PTB). PT members advocate for the relinquishment of Workers' Party positions in Pernambuco, while Armando Monteiro, the PTB leader in the state, wants to run in next year's state elections. With the PTB's support for Dilma's reelection and the PSB's removal from the Federal Government, an alliance between the two parties was expected. 

Despite the possibility considered by the Pernambuco PT of having its own candidate at the top of the ticket, former president Lula defended an alliance between the Workers' Party and Armando Monteiro in the state, according to Folha de S. Paulo. Lula, who until Marina's affiliation with the PSB believed in the socialists' support for President Dilma in 2014, changed his stance after this alliance was finalized and stated that the candidacy for the Planalto Palace of the governor of Pernambuco, Eduardo Campos (PSB), was "irreversible". Consequently, the PT's top leader supported the request from João Paulo and Senator Humberto Costa (PT-PE) for the PT to leave the Pernambuco government and join Armando Monteiro's candidacy. But the direction that the PT and the senator's PTB will take in 2014 is still uncertain. Deputy João Paulo even declared, last Wednesday (9), to SS 247, that "there are two paths for the PT here in Pernambuco: an alliance of its own or an alliance with Armando Monteiro".

What is known is that, unlike João Paulo, Armando has so far demonstrated his willingness to run for Governor of Pernambuco in 2014. Proof of this was the party advertisement broadcast by the PTB in May, in which Armando Monteiro, in the tone of a candidate, praised Pernambuco's economic growth but demanded more investment in health, education, and security. Everything depends on the next moves in the war between the PT and the PSB, which promises to leave many victims in its wake – including Armando Monteiro himself.