Eduardo Campos' secretary leaves the PT party in support of the PSB.

Raphael Coutinho _PE247 – The licensed federal deputy and current state Secretary of Government, Maurício Rands (PT), presented to the press, this Wednesday (4), a letter in which he communicates his departure from the party and the handover of his mandate in the Chamber. In the note, the parliamentarian justifies his decision based “on the decision of the national leadership of the PT, authoritatively imposing the withdrawal of my candidacy and that of the current mayor (João da Costa)”. Also in the document, the PT member comments that “Geraldo Júlio is the most prepared figure to update and improve the municipal management of Recife”, declaring support for the socialist.

Interestingly, in a press conference at the beginning of June, the congressman had said that he was withdrawing from the primaries in favor of Senator Humberto Costa's candidacy, since, according to him, the nomination had a better chance of uniting the party. In the document entitled "Letter to the People of Pernambuco," Maurício Rands also criticizes the way the national leadership of the PT interfered in the nomination of the PT candidate in Recife. Finally, the federal congressman assures that he is "leaving public life and party politics to exercise his citizenship even more fully."

See the full document below:

"I come here to communicate directly with my voters, colleagues, friends, and the people of Pernambuco, especially the activists of the Workers' Party (PT), who have shared with me so many struggles for democracy and for building a better society."

During the internal primaries to define the PT and Frente Popular candidate, which lasted two months, I participated in an intense debate about Recife and party life. I interacted with the activists, sharing the understanding that improving living conditions in the city is a collective construction process in which the party has a great responsibility to serve as an example in demonstrating democratic practices. I witnessed the selfless and conscious engagement of thousands of people in this noble debate. I will forever cherish the best memories of these activists, and I am deeply grateful to them.

After the decision by the PT's national leadership, authoritatively imposing the withdrawal of my candidacy and that of the current mayor, I retreated into reflection. I pondered the primary process and the broader political climate. I concluded that I had completely exhausted my motivation and reason to continue fighting for renewal within the PT. I realized that my attempts to assert the understanding that 'how to do it' is as important as the results had been fruitless and without prospects.

The differences in methods and practices, incidentally, had already been maturing and accumulating for some time. However, this recent process has made the divergences clearer and more insurmountable. In the struggle for the renewal of the party, in Recife and elsewhere, unfortunately, the positions of the national leadership, adopted in an authoritarian and bureaucratic manner, far removed from the reality of the militants at the party base, have prevailed.

In the primary debates, my candidacy sought to build a legitimate renewal from within the PT and the Popular Front. But we also fought to renew procedures with the aim of strengthening democratic practices. However, dominant sectors of the PT's national leadership already had a different script than democratic debate with the PT's militants in Recife and their deliberation. In other words, they made the serious mistake of attempting to impose, from São Paulo, a candidate on the Popular Front and the people of Recife.

Because they failed to engage in dialogue with the PT's activists in Recife, much less with the Popular Front, they ignored the fact that there were procedural and personnel alternatives within the party that would have unified the front around a PT candidacy. Regrettably, with the decision of the PT's national leadership, this unity was broken. Given my disagreement with this rupture caused by the party's national leadership, I concluded that I have reached the end of a cycle in my life as a party activist.

It is within this context that I am announcing three decisions I have made. First, my resignation from the PT (Workers' Party). Second, the return of my mandate as Federal Deputy to the party. And, lastly, my definitive departure from the position of Secretary in the Eduardo Campos government.

There were several reasons that led me down this path. The most crucial lies at the level of my conscience. I have always acted, in life and in politics, with the utmost rigor between what I think and what I do. I have always fulfilled the duties of my conscience.

In party debates, I advocated for a renewal of the Workers' Party's (PT) way of governing and the implementation of a new management model in Recife. A model capable of deepening our conception of participatory democracy and, especially, of bringing to the city methods and actions that the Eduardo Campos government has been practicing in an exemplary manner and with international recognition, but which the Recife administration has failed to implement.

My experience as Secretary to Governor Eduardo Campos was fundamental in understanding the importance of a "do-it-yourself" approach to politics, with competent and innovative ways of managing public resources, attracting private investment, and promoting social inclusion.

Even during the primary debates, I advocated for the renewal of party practices and leadership, as well as the improvement of the municipal government's political coordination with parliament, the base parties, and organized civil society. In these 32 years of activism, I have dedicated a large part of my life to strengthening the democratic-popular field, fighting to increase the participation and political awareness of our people.

I have carefully considered the decisions I have just made based on highly relevant facts that have impacted my conscience as a citizen. Among these is the choice, made by almost the entire Popular Front, to nominate Geraldo Júlio as a candidate for Mayor of Recife. I worked directly with Geraldo Júlio and I am a witness to how central he was to the success of the Eduardo Campos administration. I believe that Geraldo Júlio is the most prepared person to update and improve the municipal administration of Recife. By implementing in the city what Governor Eduardo Campos is doing in Pernambuco, he will concretely improve the lives of the people of Recife.  

I am aware that our people will understand the significance of choosing a new leader to transform political and administrative practices in the city. Geraldo Júlio will represent renewal within a political front that – I hope – will be maintained, even with the launch of two candidacies within his own camp.