Marconi expects him to leave now. Secretaries shrug.
Thiago Peixoto, Alexandre Baldy, and João Furtado Neto are among those the governor would like to see resign, but so far nothing has happened. There are other names. The governor's supporters fear that the opposition will grow as the government loses credibility.
Vassil Oliveira_Goiás 247 – In Governor Marconi Perillo's (PSDB) inner circle, the word is that he hasn't yet made the expected cabinet reshuffle because he's waiting for those mentioned in the Carlinhos Cachoeira case, and others who have already been publicly cited in government-linked media outlets, to resign. Since no one is resigning, he's getting irritated. He says he'll only remove those with proven involvement, but that implies those mentioned should have already resigned.
And why not ask them to leave? The assessment is that a request or direct resignation could weaken the government, revealing the blow of the accusations involving the governor. And that is precisely what Marconi doesn't want to convey at the moment when the Cachoeira CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) begins in Brasília. "The government is insisting it has nothing to do with the case. How then can you reform the cabinet by removing precisely those who are involved? It won't work," argues a source, concerned with helping to find a solution to the impasse.
Several tactics have already been used to communicate to troublesome secretaries that they should resign. These range from indirect warnings via other aides to newspaper articles directly mentioning their names. Among those the governor would like to see leave is the Secretary of Industry and Commerce, Alexandre Baldy – considered Carlinhos Cachoeira's "golden boy," as shown in a recent article in the Jornal Opção (read more here) –, and the Secretary of Public Security, João Furtado Neto.
Also on the list is the Secretary of Education, Thiago Peixoto, who is a licensed federal deputy. Regarding Thiago, there are direct political issues involved. Thiago was ousted from the PMDB party and is experiencing one of the most blatant periods of strain within the government, with teachers' strikes and confrontations in an area where Marconi always held sway. There are more names.
Among them is a group that has little political acumen but a great deal of financial operation, and which, because of this, is the spearhead of another group, this one truly political and with defined projects and the power to exert pressure on the government: the group supported in the state by the president of the Legislative Assembly, Jardel Sebba, and by state deputy Helder Valin (both from the PSDB party), former president of the House and already a strong candidate to succeed Jardel. The group faces resistance from those closest to the governor, but because they have powerful backing, they remain. The governor's wish was to see them far away from him today, given the damage they have caused to his image – according to staunch supporters of Governor Marconi Pereira.
A report by Goiás 247 also pointed to the governor's desire to make a change in his team to signal a new era. This would be done "at the right time." However, that time has long since passed, according to the source consulted by 247. Or perhaps it should be considered that the time for change has already "gone too late." "And now, with the CPI, what to do?" – that is the question, the source ponders.
The complaint justifying the urgent need for change is simple: the government is paralyzed, the groups vying for power are becoming increasingly closed off, and few are willing to offer the governor an unwavering defense he demands. The fear is that this will worsen. With a government lacking credibility and demoralized, the opposition is likely to grow, losing its fear of confrontation.
What's up?