São Paulo candidate Fernando Haddad urges US security cooperation and flags $475 million contract probe

Fernando Haddad, former finance minister and pre‑candidate for governor of São Paulo, said cooperation with the United States is essential to combat organized crime, but warned that Brazil’s national interest must not be subordinated to American interests. He criticized Governor Tarcísio de Freitas for failing to work with the federal government on security legislation and said his first priority, if elected, would be to draft a constitutional chapter on public security.

Haddad also denounced a contract worth roughly 475.8 million reais signed by the state security secretary through the state‑owned company Prodesp with Paladium Corp Desenvolvimento de Tecnologia Ltda., a firm incorporated in Delaware, United States. He questioned how a company less than a year old could obtain such a large contract without a public bid and claimed the deal could facilitate money‑laundering. Haddad said the allegations have been referred to the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office for investigation.