In a “Manifesto to the Nation,” presidential candidate Ciro Gomes (PDT, center-left) declared on Monday (26) that “Brazil is about to commit the biggest electoral fraud in its history.”
For the candidate, the polarization between former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT, left) and President Jair Bolsonaro (PL, right) is an “electoral fraud” because both are pursuing the same political and economic policies.
He ended his statement by saying that he would not abandon his candidacy. “My candidacy stands for defending Brazil at all costs”.
In a speech broadcast live on his social networks and announced yesterday (25th), Ciro attacked his opponents and criticized Lula da Silva’s efforts to win over his voters in the “useful vote” campaign.
“I will not run away from the true democratic struggle, and I will not tolerate this practice,” he said.
“Lula da Silva and the PT were in power for 14 years and left Brazil with the same problems they found. The proof is that the effects of the fleeting benefits they were able to achieve due to favorable commodity cycles are quickly fizzling out,” Ciro explained.
“Bolsonaro, that evil spawn, followed part of that primer, allied himself with the Centrão, and gave in to corruption and patronage.
And he added much more terrible content, such as, e.g. disrespect for institutions and crimes against humanity.
According to the candidate, both Lula da Silva and Bolsonaro were allied with people responsible for corruption scandals in the past, whom he described as “the gang that plundered the country in previous governments.”
The pediatrician was a prime target of the PT-led campaign for useful votes.
Artists who have supported him and members of his party have criticized his recent behavior, even claiming that his criticism of Lula favors Bolsonaro.
“They want to silence the voices of dissent,” he said.
In his speech, Ciro Gomes condemned these tactics.
“In the final spurt of the most empty election campaign in history, they are wrapping everything in the false argument of the useful votes.
With this sermon, they want to abolish people’s freedom of choice in the two-round system.
First for the candidate who best represents their values and, if necessary, later for the one who is closest to their ideas,” the presidential candidate said.
“They want to silence the voices of dissent and subjugate them under the regime of fear and veiled terror to two rival blocs that hide in Manicheism and personalism to disguise the deep and definitive similarities,” he added.
Ciro Gomes ended his speech by saying that he would not abandon his candidacy, a request he had received from some political actors.
For example, former presidents of Latin American countries sent him an open letter last week urging him to step down in favor of Lula da Silvas.