Padilha confronts doctors, pleases Lula, and gives the PT its trademark.

247 - As is well known, PT members enjoy a good fight – and the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, is, from the party's point of view, doing well in the true trial by fire of implementing the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) program. The marches of thousands of medical professionals and students across the country against him have not damaged Alexandre Padilha's image within the PT. On the contrary. Starting with former President Lula, Padilha is being seen as a figure with enough ideological firmness to face this stressful test with a smile. Furthermore, at this stage of the process he can almost celebrate victory, due to the support of more than 3,5 municipalities, about 8,5 doctors, and guarantees from leaders of the allied base that the program will be approved in Congress.here).

In a lengthy meeting with President Dilma Rousseff, politicians praised the minister's ability to dialogue and negotiate, ensuring the green light for the Mais Médicos program. "Padilha is turning things around," the president of the São Paulo City Council, José Américo, told 247. "He's showing he can be an excellent candidate."

With Lula's approval, who was not impressed by the protests against the program, Padilha is gaining the trust of the political leaders who make decisions in the São Paulo PT. Contributing to this is the minister's long history of activism within the party in São Paulo. "I transferred my electoral domicile to Acre to fulfill a party mission," he explained, surrounded by journalists, during the party's first celebrations for Fernando Haddad's victory in the São Paulo mayoral election. "All my activism was here in São Paulo."

LULA CONFIRMS - At that point, at the end of last year, Padilha was already seen as Lula's choice, whose bet on a new politician with a technical profile had just paid off. Months later, discreetly, the minister re-registered his electoral domicile in São Paulo, becoming ready for the nomination. This happened about ten days ago, when Lula called him to confirm his preference for his name. Padilha's handling of the crisis triggered by the protests surrounding the Mais Médicos program pleased the former president, who saw his chosen candidate not waver in defending the program. Subsequently, the PT leadership conveyed the message that everything is already settled to make Padilha the party's candidate to succeed Governor Geraldo Alckmin in 2014.

The setbacks currently faced by the PSDB party due to the Siemens scandal only strengthen Padilha's budding candidacy. However, it is the outcome of the Mais Médicos program that could further boost it. Allied leaders committed to the president, in a meeting on Monday the 5th, to expedite the voting process for the program. The participation of 63% of the country's municipalities, valid registrations from over 8 doctors, and also from hundreds of doctors from other countries, show that the message was conveyed correctly to the main stakeholders.

With the Mais Médicos program, the Workers' Party (PT) now has a banner that they consider as strong as the one for generic drugs is for the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). With the advantage of being newer. This would give the party a better chance of engaging in a debate with the PSDB, a debate in which it currently has few arguments to gain an advantage.

Opposition to the program from medical entities was expected, as was opposition from medical students and doctors in large urban centers. After all, if this sector of the profession enjoyed working in the remote areas of the country, the problem of a lack of doctors in small or isolated municipalities simply wouldn't exist.

By continuing to swallow the bitter pills of the street marches with smiles, and maintaining a willingness to talk, without giving up on moving the Mais Médicos program forward, Padilha, contrary to many projections, will have passed his trial by fire, fulfilling the first stage of Lula's plan to elect him governor of São Paulo.