“São Paulo said yes to balance and moderation,” says Covas after the victory; toucan especially thanked Vice President Ricardo Nunes | 2020 elections in São Paulo

“São Paulo said ‘yes’ to balance and moderation. (…) The polls have spoken and democracy is alive. São Paulo shows that there are only a few days left for obscurantism and denialism. São Paulo said ‘yes’ to science and said ‘yes’ to moderation, ”he said.

Grandson of former governor Mário Covas, Bruno said that it is the result of democracy, respecting institutions and thanked Congressman Ricardo Nunes (MDB).

“I would like here to pay tribute and special thanks to my deputy, Ricardo Nunes, who suffered a lot during this campaign. But rest assured, Ricardo, that, as of January 1, we will govern and show São Paulo who we are and who we are. what is our worldview. I am sure that each sacrifice will be worth it, for the work we are going to do together in the mayor’s office. Thank you very much Ricardo, “he said.

The main criticisms that Covas faced during his campaign were in relation to the election of Nunes as vice president, whose wife recorded a police report in 2011 for domestic violence. Nunes is also being investigated for his alleged participation in the plan in daycare centers affiliated with the city council. During the campaign, Covas went so far as to say that he “puts his hand on fire” for Nunes, that “he does not respond to any judicial process, there is no complaint in the Judicial Power.”

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Still in the victory speech, the re-elected mayor of the capital stated that as of this Monday (30) he has the “challenge of turning hope into reality” and ending political divisions in the city.

“Now, it is to thank the trust, to all those who trusted in our proposal. Now is the challenge of turning hope into reality. São Paulo does not want divisions, it does not want confrontation. My grandfather used to say that it is possible to reconcile politics and ethics, politics and honor. Now, I add, it is possible to do politics without hatred, to do politics by telling the truth ”, he declared.

Along with Doria, who left the City Council to run for governor, Covas said again that he will not do the same. “Once again I give my word that I will be mayor for the next four years. I even think about the presidency, but the presidency of Santos Futebol Clube ”, he joked.

Bruno Covas also thanked the defeated opponent, Guilherme Boulos and addressed the voters who voted for the PSOL candidate. The mayor said he will “rule for everyone” in the city.

“The polls spoke and now begins the great challenge of facing this crisis that São Paulo, Brazil and the world must face. I thank my opponent. We put up a good fight and I wanted to address everyone who believed in him and cast the vote of confidence: we will rule for everyone. As of tomorrow there is no blue district and no red district, there is the city of São Paulo ”, said the toucan.

Covas’ conciliatory speech recalled the speech of the president-elect in the United States, Joe Biden, who when winning the American elections said that “there will be no blue and red state”, referring to the American states that voted for Donald Trump.

Covas also spoke about the call he received from Boulos, acknowledging defeat. “I told him that I am still at the City Council at his disposal if he wants to present good proposals to the city of São Paulo.”

The victory speech took place at the headquarters of the PSDB municipal directory, in Jardins, and there was a crowd in an enclosed space with little ventilation.

Recalling the pandemic and asking if he could ask supporters to withdraw for the press conference, Covas said that “asking the militant to leave is as difficult as asking the press.”

Before Covas, the governor of São Paulo, João Doria, spoke and said that “the PSDB was in fact the big winner in the São Paulo elections.”

“The PSDB knows how to combine unity, it does not separate, it does not doubt. It adds and adds. Our commitment is the priority for health. The elections are over. There is no focus on the election, but on vaccination. I also want what I know here registered, the need with the vaccine we immunize Brazilians, ”said Doria.

During the campaign in São Paulo, Covas was also accused by his opponent of “hiding” the political godfather Doria, due to the negative assessment of the city governor. Covas did not have joint agendas and did not include Doria in his television commercials. Regarding the criticism, he stated that “it would be strange if the governor left all his duties to campaign for the City Council.”

In celebration of the victory, the state president of the PSDB, Marco Vinholi, affirmed that the re-election of Bruno Covas was a “historic victory for the PSDB, which today affects 184 mayors.”

“The PSDB governs the party with the largest electorate in the country. It was a historic victory that elects the largest number of women in the state. A victory for the coherence of work versus the extremes, a victory also for the union,” he declared.

The toucan was re-elected with wide range of political alliances, forming a coalition that includes eleven parties (PSDB, MDB, PP, Pode, PSC, PL, Citizenship, DEM, PTC, PV and PROS). The agreement guaranteed the longest television advertising time in the first round, but did not elect enough councilors to form a majority in the City Council (25 of the 55 seats).

According to partial data from the Regional Electoral Tribunal (TRE), Covas was re-elected with the most expensive campaign in the capital: R $ 19.4 million so far, almost six times more than his opponent in the second round, Boulos, who spent R $ 3.4 million. Candidates can report until December 15.

The race for the second round was fierce. Although the current mayor led the polls from the beginning, the gap for the PSOL candidate fell in the final stretch. Boulos’s growth, however, was not enough to reverse the result at the polls.

The coronavirus pandemic influenced the campaign, since due to the postponement of the electoral calendar, the candidates had a shorter period between the first and second rounds, of only fourteen days. Both carried out online activities, interviews, meetings and activities in the street, where crowds were observed.

There were only two televised debates in the second round, one of which was on an open network. The debate on TV Globo, which was scheduled for Friday (27), was canceled after Guilherme Boulos tested positive for Covid-19.

Bruno Covas Lopes is 40 years old and was born in Santos. He is the grandson of the former governor of São Paulo Mário Covas, who died on March 6, 2001 of cancer.

Lawyer, Covas graduated in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP) and also in Economics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica (PUC).

In politics, he was a state deputy and served as Secretary of State for the Environment during the administration of Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) in the state government, between 2011 and 2014.

He was elected federal deputy in 2014 and left office in 2017, when he agreed to run with Doria on the PSDB ticket to the São Paulo City Council.

He took office in 2018, when Doria left to run for the São Paulo government. Since 2019, the mayor has faced treatment for cancer in the cardia, which is the region between the esophagus and the stomach, with metastases in the liver and lymph nodes.

He was first admitted on October 23, 2019, when he had erysipelas (infection of the leg), which turned into a deep vein thrombosis (clots). The clots have risen to the lung and have caused what is called an embolism. During tests to find clots, doctors found cancer. The mayor went through chemotherapy and immunotherapy sessions.

On August 7, the last medical bulletin issued by the treatment team said that the mayor would continue to carry out immunotherapy sessions. Doctors said at the time that “he is in good health and free to carry out personal and professional activities without restrictions.” In June 2020, Bruno Covas was diagnosed with Covid-19 and worked at home for 2 weeks, until he recovered from the disease.

VIDEOS: Second round of the municipal elections