Haddad Criticizes Freitas' Remarks on Marina and Tebet, Says Tarcísio is Also Not from São Paulo

Fernando Haddad, a former minister and pre-candidate for governor of São Paulo, has strongly rebuked Governor Tarcísio de Freitas' recent statements concerning Senate pre-candidates Marina Silva and Simone Tebet. Haddad labeled Freitas' remarks as "undignified" and suggested they contribute to a "culture" that fuels violence against women.

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Why does a person attack two Senate candidates who were already senators? Ah, because they are not from São Paulo? Neither is he.

Freitas had stated that Silva and Tebet, neither of whom are originally from São Paulo, had not begun their political careers in the state and were not elected to serve it. Haddad countered this by pointing out that Freitas himself is from Rio de Janeiro and faced similar criticism during the 2022 campaign for not being from São Paulo, despite transferring his electoral domicile to the state. Haddad connected Freitas' comments to broader movements that seek to restrict women's voting rights, citing recent remarks by an influencer about women "voting poorly."

Marina Silva, who was born in Acre, has served as a federal deputy for São Paulo since 2023. Simone Tebet, from Mato Grosso do Sul, represented her home state in the Senate from 2015 to 2023 and is now running for a Senate seat in São Paulo. Both candidates have pushed back against Freitas' assertions. Tebet responded with a video on social media, humorously noting their differing football team allegiances, while Silva told the G1 website that Freitas exhibits a "double standard" and "prejudice against women."

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It's a group that has a problem with women. There is no doubt about that. And this wave of femicide, there's no use in trying to say that one thing has nothing to do with another. Of course, it does.

According to a recent Datafolha poll, Silva and Tebet are leading in voter intentions for the Senate in São Paulo, with 18% and 16% respectively. The pre-candidates supported by Tarcísio, André do Prado and Guilherme Derrite, lag behind with 11% and 10%.

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For him to come and do politics here is natural, and for me and Simone, it is not. And I think there is also an attitude of prejudice against women, of thinking they own the world.