'Plinio was consistent, which is not common in politics'
Former governor José Serra (PSDB) attended the wake of former congressman Plínio de Arruda Sampaio (Psol) in São Paulo and recalled his friendship with the left-wing politician; "He's been a friend for many years, since the 1960s. We spent a lot of time together in exile and even lived together," said the politician; according to him, the two almost created a party, but "it didn't work out."
247 - Former São Paulo governor José Serra (PSDB) described former congressman Plínio de Arruda Sampaio on Wednesday, the 9th, as someone "quite consistent with what he thought and preached, which is not common in Brazilian politics." The politician attended the wake of the PSOL politician, who died on Tuesday at the age of 83 from multiple organ failure caused by bronchopneumonia.
Serra recalled his friendship with the leftist. "He's been a friend for many years, since the 1960s. We spent a lot of time together in exile and even lived together," he said. According to the former governor, after returning to Brazil, the two worked hard to create a new party together, but the project "didn't work out." "And at a certain point, our political paths diverged, but the relationship of friendship and respect never did," Serra commented.
Presidential candidate in 2010, Plínio de Arruda Sampaio had been hospitalized for over a month at the Sírio Libanês Hospital in São Paulo, undergoing treatment for bone cancer. The wake began at 8:00 AM at the São Domingos parish in the Perdizes neighborhood, in the western part of São Paulo. The burial is scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM at the Araçá cemetery. The governor of São Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB), also attended the wake, along with several other politicians.