Aécio Neves Reverses Stance, Confirms Senate Candidacy for Minas Gerais

Aécio Neves, the federal deputy and national president of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), has reversed his earlier decision and confirmed his candidacy for the Senate representing the state of Minas Gerais. The announcement came during a meeting with journalists at the party's headquarters in Belo Horizonte.

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I think I will have better conditions to articulate a project for 2030 for the center, a realistic project, a project that looks at Brazil for the future, without extremism, without this childish and painful radicalization that has taken over Brazilian politics.

Neves had initially declared in early August that he would not be running for the Senate. However, he stated that consultations with hundreds of supporters in Minas Gerais prompted a change of heart, which he described as stemming from a profound sense of responsibility towards the state. He is utilizing the September 14 deadline set by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for candidate substitutions, following the official registration deadline of August 16.

His decision follows the withdrawal of other candidates from the coalition's Senate slate. Marcelo Heringer (PDT) and Gustavo Galassi (PSDB) have formally withdrawn their names from the race in Minas Gerais. Neves will now join the "Cuidar de Minas" coalition, supporting Alexandre Kalil's gubernatorial bid and representing the PSDB-Cidadania federation.

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It demonstrates a very deep sense of responsibility with Minas Gerais.

Neves articulated his intention to leverage a Senate seat to negotiate Minas Gerais's substantial debt with the federal government, estimated at around R$ 180 billion. He expressed a desire to regroup centrist forces in the Senate to present a transformative project for Brazil, referencing his 2014 presidential campaign. "What I want to be is the senator for Minas Gerais so that, regardless of who the president is, I will be there, in a position to negotiate with them," Neves stated, indicating he would not endorse the leading presidential candidates.

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It is in the Federal Senate that I intend to re-articulate the forces of the center to present Brazil with a transformative project, as we tried to present in 2014.

Alexandre Kalil, the gubernatorial candidate, had previously expressed his desire for Neves to join his ticket, acknowledging Neves's importance to the state's political landscape. Neves's return to the electoral race signals a strategic move to bolster the center-left coalition and address the state's pressing financial concerns from a federal legislative platform.

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What I want to be is the senator for Minas Gerais so that, regardless of who the president is, I will be there, in a position to negotiate with them.