Brazil’s PDT Backs Kalil for Minas Governor, Snubbing Lula’s PT

Politics · Brazil

The PDT has launched former Belo Horizonte mayor Alexandre Kalil as its candidate for governor of Minas Gerais, a move that exposes a rift on the Brazilian left as the party backs Lula nationally while the president favors a rival in the state.

A Second Run at Minas

Alexandre Kalil, who governed Belo Horizonte as mayor, is trying again for the Minas Gerais statehouse. The PDT formalized his candidacy at the state assembly, though it has yet to name a running mate.

Kalil finished second in the 2022 gubernatorial race. Since then he has switched parties, leaving the PSD for the PDT in October 2025, and is now the Pdetista standard-bearer in the state.

A Rift on the Left

The candidacy lays bare a contradiction. Nationally, the PDT backs President Lula’s reelection, but in Minas, Lula supports the PT’s Patrus Ananias for governor.

That leaves two allied parties on opposite sides of a major state race. How the left resolves the split will shape its competitiveness in a state it cannot afford to cede.

Why Minas Matters

Minas Gerais is second only to São Paulo in voters and has long been a national bellwether. Winning it is often seen as essential to winning Brazil.

A divided left there hands an opening to the opposition. Alliances in Minas are therefore watched closely as a signal for the broader 2026 map.

What to Watch

The immediate questions are who joins Kalil’s ticket and whether the PT and PDT can avoid splitting the left-leaning vote. Negotiations over alliances are still open.

For observers, the Minas contest is an early test of how disciplined Brazil’s governing coalition will be at the state level. The outcome could ripple into the presidential race.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the PDT’s candidate for governor of Minas Gerais?

The PDT officialized former Belo Horizonte mayor Alexandre Kalil as its candidate for governor of Minas Gerais on 26 July 2026.

Why is the candidacy controversial on the left?

The PDT backs Lula nationally, but Lula supports the PT’s Patrus Ananias for governor of Minas, putting two allied parties on opposite sides of the state race.

Has Kalil run for governor before?

Yes. Kalil finished second in the 2022 Minas Gerais gubernatorial race; he later left the PSD and joined the PDT in October 2025.

Sources

• Poder360
• O Tempo