Minas Gerais debate shows conciliatory Cleitinho, discreet Roscoe, and attacking Simões, Kalil, and Gabriel

The first debate for the Governor of Minas Gerais showcased distinct candidate styles, with Mateus Simões, Alexandre Kalil, and Gabriel Azevedo adopting aggressive stances, Flávio Roscoe remaining discreet, and Cleitinho favoring a conciliatory tone.

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You are in Narnia? You are the governor and maintain the worst-paid police in the country.

The discussion centered on local issues, steering clear of national polarization, though criticisms of President Lula were voiced by Simões, and Cleitinho acknowledged Flávio Bolsonaro. Central themes included Minas Gerais's participation in the Progag debt payment program, the state of the roads, and the condition of security forces. Kalil criticized the Progag agreement, deeming it detrimental to the state's governance, while Cleitinho suggested negotiating with the federal government regardless of who holds the presidency, comparing the program to a necessary but unpleasant medical treatment.

Simões accused the federal government of failing to reinvest resources paid by the state under Progag. Azevedo called for a review of subsidies granted to large corporations, and Roscoe, a former industrial federation president, also supported renegotiating the debt agreement. The debate intensified when Simões questioned Kalil on femicide prevention, only to be retorted with criticism about the state's poorly paid police force. Kalil dismissed Simões's appointment of female commanders as insufficient for genuinely addressing violence against women.

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It's no use fighting the federal government, pointing fingers at the government and staying in a fight.

Discussions also touched upon the privatization of Cemig, with Azevedo accusing the current and previous state governments of political appointments within the company. Simões criticized federal highway conditions while linking candidates aligned with President Lula to "the consortium of backwardness." Azevedo proposed creating a metropolitan park in the Serra do Curral region, opposing mining projects, a stance echoed by Roscoe, who nonetheless noted concerns about excessive regulations.

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Putting a female commander is not taking care of women.