Haddad gains new support and isolates Marta.
Seven of the 11 city councilors from the party in São Paulo have already declared their support for the Minister of Education, who is a pre-candidate for mayor.
Education Minister Fernando Haddad, one of the PT's pre-candidates for mayor of São Paulo, received support today from members of the Novo Rumo faction, the group that obtained the largest share of the party's municipal directory in the last election, in 2009. The candidate favored by former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva now has the support of 7 of the 11 PT city councilors in the capital and, according to his allies, would reach 60% of the party members in eventual primaries. In addition to Novo Rumo, the Construindo um Novo Brasil (CNB) and Mensagem ao Partido factions are also supporting Haddad.
With the PT's municipal headquarters packed, Haddad met today with councilors Ítalo Cardoso, leader of the party's caucus; José Américo Dias, who was Secretary of Communication during Marta Suplicy's administration; and Juliana Cardoso. Also present to honor the minister were the mayor of Osasco, Emídio de Souza, and deputies Vicente Cândido and Devanir Ribeiro.
A longtime friend of Lula, Devanir was close to the group supporting Marta in the internal dispute, but had decided to support Haddad. Today, he gave a speech praising the minister, unlike what he said in 2007, when Lula even sounded out Haddad's name to run for mayor the following year. "The PT's situation in São Paulo isn't good enough for us to launch a puppet candidate," Devanir said at the time – he preferred Marta's candidacy in 2008.
Waves
In their speeches, the minister's new allies highlighted his ability to unite and engage in dialogue as key factors in choosing Haddad. "No candidacy can do without Marta (Suplicy), but Haddad brings more strength. Today, the movement within the PT shows that he has a better chance of leading us to victory," justified Ítalo Cardoso. "We took a long time to decide, but we made a well-considered decision," said José Américo.
In her statement of support for the minister, Juliana Cardoso spoke on her behalf and on behalf of state representative Adriano Diogo. “After eight years of Serra and Kassab, nobody deserves so much punishment. The city bears the marks of torture, its aftereffects, its traumas,” she stated. “The 2012 election will be our truth commission.”
One of Haddad's closest councilors and a member of the CNB, Chico Macena, highlighted that the minister is closer to the party's grassroots activists – a response to criticism from the pre-candidate's opponents within the PT. “You (Haddad) are Lula and Dilma's candidate, yes, but you are also the candidate of the party's base. In the internal debate process, you have convinced people that you are the best candidate,” he stated.
For Haddad, regardless of the discussion about holding primaries, party members need to seek unity in 2012. In his speech, he stated that Marta was the best mayor São Paulo has ever had and emphasized that he intends to work for whichever candidate is chosen by the party. "With or without primaries, we will build the PT's victory." To journalists, Haddad stated that he does not see "the fact that there are primaries as a problem."