Ronaldo Caiado selects Gilberto Kassab as vice‑presidential running mate

Ronaldo Caiado, former governor of Goiás and PSD's pre‑candidate for the 2026 Brazilian presidential election, announced on 1 July that Gilberto Kassab, the party's national president and former minister, will be his vice‑presidential candidate. The announcement came ahead of the PSD's party conventions scheduled for 20 July.

Caiado framed the ticket as a “pure‑party” slate, saying no negotiations for a broader alliance took place: “Não é que tentamos uma aliança. Desde o início ia ser chapa pura.” Kassab emphasized the campaign’s focus on reducing the country’s tax burden, noting the possibility of freeing “more than a billion reais” for infrastructure, health and education. He also argued that the vice role is meant to “govern hand in hand,” not merely to appear on a photo‑op.

The move aims to consolidate internal support within the PSD and present a unified alternative to the polarized political landscape dominated by President Luiz Inácio Lula and the Bolsonaro‑aligned bloc. Some party members consider the early announcement premature, but PSD leaders view Kassab’s entry as strengthening the party’s bargaining power in future coalition talks.