Tarcísio meets Lula for the 3rd time, considers seeing deputies and insists on the port of Santos

For the third time in a month, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) meets with President Lula in Brasília this Friday (27).

Summoned to participate in the meeting with governors, he is also considering meeting federal deputies for the first time and talking to Minister Márcio França (Ports and Airports) about the Port of Santos.

Lula, the ally of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) will ask for funding for health, such as forgiveness or renegotiation of debts for philanthropic hospitals, and readjustment of the SUS table, a reference for government remuneration to service providers.

At a luncheon celebrating the anniversary of São Paulo on Wednesday (25), the Chief Executive of São Paulo stated that the transfer of funds for health is not an exclusive demand of São Paulo, but a general concern of the governors who will meet with the president.

Tarcísio will also ask for support for mobility works. “We are going to talk about intercity trains, the subway line, the subway to ABC, to Guarulhos and works in Baixada Santista”, he said.

Although it is one of the priorities, the privatization of the port of Santos should not be an issue put on the table at the meeting with Lula. Tarcísio intends to bring new arguments to Márcio França, who already ruled out the possibility of granting the area when he was appointed to the portfolio, in December of last year.

The government of São Paulo, however, sees the government open to dialogue on the subject. At the bilateral meeting between Lula and Tarcísio, on January 10, the PT had a non-dogmatic stance on the matter, according to members of Tarcísio’s team, and asked for a presentation to the partnerships and investments team.

At an event in Heliópolis during the week, Tarcísio said that he will respect the federal government’s final decision, but that he will insist on the matter. Privatizations are at the center of his government plan, and the Santos concession is seen by him as the “redemption of Baixada Santista”.

Tarcísio also intends to meet with federal deputies from São Paulo on Thursday night (26) to talk about projects that help the state. There is still no confirmation about this meeting. The head of the São Paulo Executive has not yet met with state deputies.

The governor met Lula for the first time on January 9, the day after the invasion and depredation of the headquarters of the Three Powers by Bolsonarists. He considered not attending the governors’ meeting, but changed his mind after talking to different officials.

In his speech at the time, he mentioned God, said he was happy to participate and praised the “capacity of dialogue”. He also greeted Lula and said that he has to learn about São Paulo from Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB).

“Pacification demands gestures from everyone, from the Judiciary, the Legislative, the Executive, the States,” he said.

A day later, the governor met privately with Lula. They dealt with the port of Santos and works in the region, in addition to transfers to health.

Also participating were Alexandre Padilha (Secretary of Institutional Relations of the Presidency of the Republic), Rui Costa and Gilberto Kassab, Secretary of Government and Institutional Relations of São Paulo. The meeting was friendly and Lula published a photo shaking Tarcísio’s hand on social networks.