Center Parties Decide to Support Alckmin in Brazilian Presidential Election

07/20/2018 - 11h46

Leaders of Brazilian center parties forming the so-called "Centrão" stated yesterday they have reached an agreement with presidential pre-candidate Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) to support him in this year's dispute.

The parties which form the coalition (DEM, PP, Solidariedade, PR, Avante, PRB and PHS) need to validate their decision internally so that the alliance may be officially announced.

	AP Photo/Eraldo Peres
	Presidential hopeful, former governor of Sao Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin, speaks during the "Mobility Forum ANPTrilhos" in Brasilia, Wednesday, July 18, 2018. The Mobility Forum is a discussion with potential presidential nominees on issues related to urban mobility and public transport

The agreement will provide Alckmin with greater political reach and the longest time on TV.

With Centrão's support, Alckmin, who alone had 1 minute and 18 seconds of campaign advertising on TV (in each block of 12 minutes and 30 seconds), will now have 4 and a half minutes, almost 40% of the entire share in the dispute.

The Brazilian Workers' Party, PT, a historical adversary of PSDB, still has not forged any alliances, and it has 1 minute and 34 seconds.

Alckmin is being cautious. He said, through his press team, that nothing has been determined so far.

One of the main obstacles in the path of the agreement was posed by Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ), speaker of the lower house of congress.

He was persuaded to withdraw his support to Ciro Gomes due to Gomes' outbursts and ideological incompatibility, particularly after talks between economists of the two groups.

In his third presidential campaign, Gomes' will officially file as a candidate on Friday (20), in Brasilia.

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA

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