On Saturday (25/05), President Lula participated in the inauguration of road works on the Presidente Dutra highway, in Guarulhos (SP). He was accompanied on the stage by vice-president Geraldo Alckmin, Transport Minister Renan Filho, and allies such as federal deputy Alencar Santana, PT pre-candidate for Mayor of Guarulhos. During the event, which was called “Lula’s rally”, the president highlighted the delivery of the works nine months ahead of schedule and did not mention the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas.
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Tarcísio Was Not Present
Tarcísio was not present at the inauguration. Since last week, the opposition has been criticizing the electoral use of the event held in a city in which the PT is interested in the municipal elections in October. In a video published on his social networks, Tarcísio took credit for the inaugurated work, sharing them with former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Old Project
Road works in the region have been dragging on for years. The interventions announced on Saturday began in July last year and were funded with resources from CCR, which manages the highway, with monitoring from the Ministry of Transport. These were mandatory works provided for in the contract with the concessionaire.
Tug of War
Allies of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas say that the completion of the works was only possible thanks to the new contract signed with CCR when Tarcísio was Infrastructure Minister.
The federal government says that it has been monitoring the interchange works in the Bonsucesso region since the administration of former president Dilma and that they brought forward deliveries by nine months – completion of the works was scheduled for February 2025.
Analysis:
The inauguration of road works on the Presidente Dutra highway, in Guarulhos, led by President Lula, represents another chapter in the political dispute between the federal government and the São Paulo state government. Tarcísio’s absence at the inauguration was notable and criticized by the opposition, which accuses the PT of using the event for electoral purposes. In response, Tarcísio, on his social networks, claimed credit for the works, sharing credit with former president Jair Bolsonaro, reflecting the continued polarization between the two political groups.
This dispute over credit for the works highlights the political battle between Lula and the PT, who seek to consolidate their influence in the state of São Paulo, Brazil’s main electoral college, and Tarcísio de Freitas, who tries to reaffirm his legacy and the continuity of the projects initiated under the Bolsonaro administration. The dispute therefore reflects not just an infrastructure issue, but a strategic political clash with a view to future municipal elections.
