The pro-Bolsonaro Tarcísio de Freitas has been elected new governor of Sao Paulo with just over 55 percent of the votes, thus defeating in the second round the candidate of the Workers’ Party (PT), the former mayor of Sao Paulo, Fernando Haddad, and has recognized that it is «fundamental» to get along with the new central government of the newly elected president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
«From now on we are going to look straight ahead, to look after the interests of the state of Sao Paulo», said De Freitas after knowing the results. This Sunday, in addition to the presidential elections in Brazil, the second round of the gubernatorial elections was also held in several states, where candidates allied to Jair Bolsonaro have met with mixed fortunes.
«I am very grateful for the votes obtained and now we are going to make a government for 46 million paulistas. We are going to look after the interests of the state of Sao Paulo. For us to be able to make public policies it is fundamental to ally and understand each other with the Federal Government», acknowledged De Freitas.
«Sao Paulo is the most important and richest state in Brazil. I am sure that Sao Paulo can help Brazil a lot and, obviously, Brazil can help Sao Paulo and that is why we are going to seek understanding», said the new governor during a speech that focused on answering the press rather than celebrating the result.
«It has been a tough election, one of the tightest, the difference is small. We have lines of thought that divide the country, a more progressive line and a more liberal one», conceded De Freitas, who won this Sunday with 55.27 percent of the votes, some two million more than Haddad, who obtained 44.73 percent of the ballots.
De Freitas also wanted to highlight the «good relationship» that he has «always» maintained with his rival in these elections, Haddad, who not only congratulated him but also offered to mediate with the Federal Government. «We will maintain the best possible dialogue,» he said.
Sao Paulo was the last big seat left in dispute this Sunday. In Amazonas, Santa Catarina and Rondonia, candidates close to Bolsonaro, who has not yet made a statement on the general elections that have raised Lula again to the presidency of Brazil, also won.
