Renan Santos Launches Presidential Run with Federal Police Escort and Mato Grosso Tour

Renan Santos, founder of the Missão party and former MBL leader, officially registered his presidential candidacy and immediately received Federal Police protection, citing threats from criminal factions. During his early campaign he toured Mato Grosso, visiting a civil‑military school in Sorriso and pledging to "export" the model nationwide. He also inspected an illegal gold‑mining site on the Sararé Indigenous Territory, wearing a bullet‑proof vest for safety, and met with an indigenous agricultural cooperative. Santos highlighted the region’s security challenges, especially the presence of the Comando Vermelho, and noted that a Real Time Big Data poll shows him at about 9% of voter intention. The campaign was bolstered by an endorsement from agribusiness magnate Blairo Maggi, who called Santos an “alternative to polarization.”