Brazil Left Splits as PDT Backs Kalil for Minas Governor
Politics · Brazil
Key Facts
—The launch. The PDT officialized Alexandre Kalil’s candidacy for governor of Minas Gerais on 26 July at the state legislature (ALMG).
—The party line. National PDT president Carlos Lupi and state chief Mário Heringer led the convention; the ticket has no running mate yet.
—The tension. The PDT supports Lula’s reelection nationally, but Lula backs the PT’s Patrus Ananias for governor of Minas, setting up a clash on the left.
—The candidate. Kalil left the PSD and joined the PDT in October 2025; this is his second run for the state, after finishing second in 2022.
—The stakes. Minas Gerais is one of Brazil’s largest electoral prizes and a traditional bellwether.
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.
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
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
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