Flávio Bolsonaro announces Alfredo Gaspar, rapporteur of the INSS commission, as vice president

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro announced this Wednesday (5) federal deputy Alfredo Gaspar (PL-AL) as a candidate for vice president on his ticket in the dispute for Palácio do Planalto.

The definition ended weeks of internal negotiations and frustrated attempts to form an alliance with parties in the center. The choice also represents a nod to the Northeast, a region in which Flávio appears at a disadvantage compared to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), candidate for re-election.

Former attorney general of Alagoas and former state secretary of Public Security, Gaspar is rapporteur for the INSS Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry. He left União Brasil and joined the PL in March, initially with the aim of running for a seat in the Senate.

The deputy's presence on the ticket reinforces Flávio's strategy of prioritizing public safety during the campaign. The senator has been adopting a stricter discourse on crime and intends to explore Gaspar's experience in the area.

As rapporteur for the INSS CPMI, the parliamentarian sought to associate retirement and pension fraud with the Lula government. The report he prepared made several mentions of the president, but reserved less space for members of the previous administration.

Choose contrary to initial plan

The composition made up of two PL men goes against the campaign's initial plan, which sought a woman affiliated with an allied party.

Flávio intended to choose a name with national projection, capable of aggregating votes and representing specific sectors of the electorate, such as women, evangelicals, rural producers or residents of the Northeast.

The lack of a coalition, however, reduced the senator's options. Parties such as PP, União Brasil and Republicans decided not to formally support PL's presidential candidacy.

Without these alliances, Flávio will have less time for electoral propaganda on television than Lula, who has the support of six other parties.

Negotiations with Daniella Marques and Tereza Cristina

Flávio's main preference was Daniella Marques, former president of Caixa Econômica Federal during Jair Bolsonaro's government.

The Republicans, Daniella's party, decided to remain neutral in the presidential dispute. Even after the decision, Flávio publicly praised the former president of Caixa and stated that he would like to have her as his running mate.

Another name considered was that of senator Tereza Cristina (PP-MS). PL president, Valdemar Costa Neto, defended his choice for the position.

Tereza even accepted the possibility of joining the ticket after conversations with Flávio's allies, but the PP vetoed the alliance. Like the Republicans, the party opted for neutrality after consulting its state directories.

Flávio admitted difficulty in defining vice

On Tuesday (4), Flávio stated that the search for a name had turned into a “soap opera” and admitted that the decision could be postponed until August 15, the deadline for registering candidacies at the Electoral Court.

Hours later, however, PL reported that the choice was complete and called the press for the announcement.

The difficulty in forming a broader ticket was attributed by politicians from the center to the senator's lack of dialogue and articulation. PL members, on the other hand, claim that the Lula government's negotiating power alienated potential allies.

The campaign was also looking for a woman to reduce Flávio's rejection among female voters. Within this strategy, dentist Fernanda Bolsonaro, the senator's wife, began to participate more actively in electoral events.

The attempt to reach out to the female public gained importance after Michelle Bolsonaro publicly stated that she had been mistreated by her stepson. About a month later, the two showed signs of reconciliation, and the former first lady accepted a public apology and promised to collaborate with the campaign.

Tarcísio de Freitas says he would not put on Donald Trump's cap again

Governor of São Paulo stated that he would not repeat the gesture made at Donald Trump's inauguration, minimized Eduardo Bolsonaro's influence on tariffs and defended state measures to reduce the impact on Brazilian companies.