RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Wilson Witzel, told the interview channel Na Lata, hosted by Antonia Fontenelle, that he would like to become President of the Republic, “preferably succeeding President Bolsonaro”.
At first, the governor, clearly uneasy, refrained from answering what his wish would be, but ultimately confirmed that he would like to run for the top position in the executive branch of government.
“Witzel is a candidate for 2022,” Fontenelle said after Witzel’s reply. The governor, however, refrained from confirming that he would be a candidate in the next pesidential election, saying only that “I will be partnering with Bolsonaro, we will be together,” he said.
Wilson Witzel is one of several current Brazilian state governors looking into potentially occupying the top Planalto offices. The governor of Maranhão, Flávio Dino (PCdoB), has been singled out by various left-wing quarters as a natural opposition contender for the 2022 presidential contest.
João Doria (PSDB), governor of São Paulo, has also been trying to kick-start his candidacy for the presidency in the 2022 election, while seeking to distance himself from President Bolsonaro, whom he supported in the second round of last year’s election.