Edinho opens conversation with MDB amid dispute over candidacy in Minas
The president of the PT (Workers' Party), Edinho Silva, opened talks this Wednesday (3) with the MDB (Brazilian Democratic Movement) about the dispute for the government of Minas Gerais.
Edinho met with the former president of the Belo Horizonte City Council, Gabriel Azevedo (MDB), who is a pre-candidate for state management. The president of MDB, Baleia Rossi, also participated in the lunch in Brasília.
After the definitive refusal of Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSB), the PT began to look for other options for the platform of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in the state that is considered strategic for the national scenario.
The first conversation with Azevedo was considered positive, but inconclusive. The former councilor has met with other leaders in Minas to try to build alliances and does not consider himself a politician, nor a Bolsonarista, nor a Lulista.
On the same trip to Brasília, Gabriel Azevedo met with senator Cleitinho Azevedo (Republicanos-MG), who is seen as a possible candidate for the Minas Gerais government in the opposition camp.
The politician has also built bridges with the PT of Minas Gerais, with names such as the state president of the PT, Leninha, and the former mayor of Contagem, Marília Campos, who is a pre-candidate for the Senate.
To CNN, Baleia Rossi stated that "state directories have autonomy to define candidacies" and that the stage in Minas will go through Gabriel Azevedo.
To his allies, the pre-candidate for the MDB states that he has no intention of giving up the dispute and that he respects the PT's time to make a decision about the running mate on Lula's platform.
Azevedo's candidacy received positive signals from parties such as PCdoB and PV. The two parties are nationally federated with the PT.
The PT command in Minas defends that the candidacy goes through a joint construction of the federation and defends that the head of the ticket belongs to the PT itself. The party tests names in a survey and tries to empower itself so as not to be treated by a decision from the national leadership.
Last weekend, Edinho Silva also had conversations with the former mayor of Belo Horizonte, Alexandre Kalil (PDT). The dialogue was not seen as resolute, but Kalil's allies claim that the former mayor left defensive mode and demonstrated more openness.
PT and PSB
The national PT also considers PSB cadres, such as Josué Alencar, son of Lula's former vice-president, José Alencar. The businessman, who has already had his name mentioned in other elections to enter politics, would be more excited this time.
Jarbas Soares, former attorney general of Justice, is also another name considered by the PT. He was the only prosecutor to head the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais four times and joined the PSB together with Rodrigo Pacheco, at the end of March.
This Wednesday, however, Jarbas Soares and Josué Alencar made official, at the PSB headquarters, in Minas, their pre-candidacy for the state government. The party tests four names for the position.
The PSB preview is seen by opponents as part of the political game. Members of the MDB are still betting that the PSB may give up its own candidacy to accept the vice-president.
Azevedo and Cleitinho
In Brasília, Gabriel Azevedo also met with senator Cleitinho (Republicans), who leads voting intentions in Minas.
To CNN, Cleitinho stated this Wednesday that he is waiting for the party itself to decide on the candidacy and that it is working with a deadline of July for a decision.
Republicans and PL try to build an alliance and await Cleitinho's decision. The PL does not rule out throwing Flávio Roscoe into the dispute, depending on the resolutions. Pre-candidate for president, Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), is also trying to secure a platform in Minas and has been nodding to Cleitinho.
2026 Elections: Minas Gerais left demands Lula arbitration in defining candidacy | NOW CNN
Source: CNN