"If it were up to me, Eduardo would be a strong candidate for president."

PE247 – “If it were up to me, Eduardo Campos would be a strong candidate for president.” This statement comes from federal deputy Beto Albuquerque (PSB-RS), the main political strategist for his party in the National Congress. The congressman's stance reinforces the desire of PSB interlocutors to see their party colleague and governor of Pernambuco, Eduardo Campos, as a presidential candidate in the next elections. “We are the ones who have to make him want to be a candidate,” the congressman stated.

In addition to highlighting Campos as a political leader who "values ​​planning," Beto Albuquerque did not hold back in criticizing President Dilma Rousseff's (PT) administration while praising former President Lula. "Brazil has emancipated millions of Brazilians. Congratulations to Lula, we (the PSB) helped. Now, when you have jobs but no growth, and you have inflation, something is wrong," he said.

On the other hand, Albuquerque said that the PSB's role is to help the government, in an interview with the program Entre Aspas, on GloboNews. “We want to help the government not let this crisis contaminate what has been built over all these years, from the beginning of the currency stabilization with Fernando Henrique Cardoso, to the eight years of social emancipation that Lula built with our support. It's no use winning in 2014 if you lose in 2013,” he declared.

Accompanied by federal deputy Roberto Freire (PPS-SP), Albuquerque criticized the "electoralization" of the debate. "The agenda at this moment should be different. We should be bringing to the table now not the anticipation of the election, but the Brazilian problems that demand convergence, including from different parties (government and opposition)," he observed. "When you anticipate the election, you don't build the solution we should be building," he added.

In turn, Congressman Roberto Freire, who is trying to position himself as one of the main opposition figures at the national level, in addition to criticizing Dilma, did not spare former President Lula. According to the congressman, the difficulties faced by the Brazilian economy originated during the government of the Workers' Party "chief," but Dilma cannot complain because she was part of Lula's ministerial team, serving as Chief of Staff (2005-2010) and Minister of Mines and Energy (2003-2005).

“Our economy isn’t facing difficulties, it’s in crisis. And worse, with an incompetent government. A crisis that doesn’t stem from Dilma’s government, but largely from the irresponsibility of Lula’s government,” he declared. “She (Dilma) is facing an aggravated situation, but she can’t complain because she participated in the previous government,” he added.

According to the post-communist, Eduardo Campos is not in opposition to the Dilma government, but he is "tired" of the PT's way of governing and implied that the PT is managing the country amidst a crisis of values. "Eduardo is not in opposition, but he is feeling a certain weariness with this PT government, which has brought some concerns to democratic, republican thought," declared Roberto Freire. "We are seeing 30 years of celebration (of the PT) talking about the people, with someone convicted by the Supreme Federal Court (STF). This is a problem we have to face because the continuation of this... I don't know what will happen to the Republic," he stated.

Even after Lula launched Dilma Rousseff as a candidate for re-election in the 2014 presidential elections, Freire believes that the PT's "chieftain" could run himself. "I don't write what Lula says. He launched Dilma, but he could be the candidate. It will depend on the economic situation. It will depend on the investigations by the Public Prosecutor's Office (regarding Marcos Valério's accusations against the former president in the Mensalão case). He is cornered. Who knows if he won't rush to be a candidate," he observed.