With the wear and tear incurred by the federal government over the CPI Covid, the trip to the state is seen as a strategic move. The goal will be both to consolidate the electorate that supported him in the last elections, and to unite the conservative political groups revolving around Bolsonaro.

“I have to go there. I was summoned. Based on her, you know, who is the wife of my “brother” Manato, I have no way to refuse. Soon we’ll be there to hug you all. Thank you very much for your support and attention, ”he said in a video posted by the MP.

Bolsonaro’s ally and the main opponent of Governor Renato Casagrande (PSB) in 2018, Carlos Manato (no party) argues that the president’s visit will have a “conservative alliance” tone. Bolsonaro’s presence will put him and federal MP Evard de Melo (PP) on the same platform, who is one of the deputy presidential chiefs in the House and has been appointed as a possible candidate for governor in 2022.

“A visit for Bolsonaro is a way to show appreciation for everything the capixaba has done for him. He just didn’t come earlier because of the opposition he is facing here with Governor Casagrande. I will not go to the house of someone who treats me badly. “This meeting will be an opportunity to unite conservatives, as I said. We may have similarities, but during the elections we must be on the same side,” he notes.

The President’s agenda in Espirito Santo, which is still under development, should include visits to federal infrastructure such as Linares airport and the renting of popular homes in San Mateus. A flight over Grand Vitoria, or even a trip to Venda Nova do Imigrante, where Bolsonaro received the highest percentage of the vote in the second round, with 81% of the vote, is also being considered. On the list of opportunities is a meeting with businessmen.

Federal Deputy Neutzimar Fraga (SDP) was with the President on May 12 at the Planalto Palace, the same day the report was published. Newspaper pointed out that Espirito Santo was the only state that did not receive Bolsonaro during his term. In a video posted by the congressman on social media, he invites the president to the opening of the Barra de São Francisco campus of the Federal Institute Espírito Santo (Ifes).

“Espírito Santo is missing. I recognized him, ”Bolsonaro said in the recording. “Yes, we will. We will appear. I have to, I’m late. This is the state that gave me great support in the elections, and we will soon be together if God wants to, ”the president added.

The meeting with the capixabas has yet to be confirmed by the president of the republic, who is awaiting a later date to mark the visit to the state on Bolsonaro’s agenda. However, according to federal deputy Soraya Manato, next Tuesday (the 25th) there will be a meeting with Planalto’s advisors, at which this topic should already be touched upon.

If confirmed, Bolsonaro’s first trip to Espirito Santo as president will take place during a period of intense wear and tear on the president, mainly due to CPI Covid. The Senate Commission, which is investigating an alleged omission by the federal government in the fight against the pandemic, has had explosive testimony since its inception on April 27.

Statements by former ministers Luis Enrique Mandetta, Nelson Teich, Ernesto Araujo and Eduardo Pasuello, as well as testimonies by former PR minister Fabio Weingarten and Pfizer’s general manager for Latin America, Carlos Murillo, prompted a number of comments. questions about the conduct of the crisis. By far the most painful issues are vaccine denials in 2020 and inaction during the collapse of the health care system in Manaus (AM).

For political scientist João Gualberto Vasconcellos, Bolsonaro’s trip to Espirito Santo in this context is a strategic step towards consolidating his constituencies and containing risks for the 2022 elections. Vasconcellos argues that the president’s visit is always a political event.

“Bolsonaro has campaigned since the day he donned the presidential sash, always straining relations with whoever might be the enemy in 2022. Since Espiritu Santo is already a small but captive electorate, the president may have” rested “on this. why it wasn’t there before, ”the political scientist says.

“However, we are already in an electoral atmosphere, with possible candidates coming into play, and Bolsonaro does not want to risk his re-election. We have a middle and upper middle class electorate who voted for him in 2018 because he is an anti-petist, but who today consider himself an anti-petist and anti-colonist. His rejection has grown a lot since the elections held here, ”he adds.

According to Soraya Manato, the visit is not intended to anticipate the campaign, but rather to unveil important works for the state. One possible agenda that caught Planalto’s attention was the opening of more than 400 popular homes in the old Minha Casa Minha Vida, a program renamed Casa Verde Amarela by the government, she said. As already reported, the enterprise has been operating for over 10 years. Newspaper…

“I think that he was in no hurry to come because there was no serious event to which he could travel from Brazil. The agenda is very tight. The federal bench should be in weight, probably many mayors will also be present, and some state deputies, ”he points out.

Another congressman who supports Bolsonaro’s visit, Evair de Melo, said that this should not be Bolsonaro’s only meeting with Espiritu Santo. He told columnist Beatrice Seixas that a new visit is scheduled for the second half of this year. There is even a date, which he has not yet named.

“We are also already planning another visit from the president in the second half, but we will leave him to talk about it later,” he told the observer.

Education Minister Milton Ribeiro accepted an invitation to visit Cachueiro de Itapemirim on 7 June to accompany the opening of a new unit at the Espiritu Santo Federal Institute (Ifes).