Rio Mayor Eduardo Paus backs Pedro Paulo as second left Senate candidate

On Saturday, 4 May, the pre‑campaign launch for former minister Celso Pansera's bid for a federal deputy seat turned into a rally for progressive unity in the Rio de Janeiro state capital region. Held at the Acadêmicos do Grande Rio samba school in Duque de Caxias, the event drew hundreds of supporters.

Mayor Eduardo Paus, a pre‑candidate for the state government, and PSD Senate hopeful Pedro Paulo delivered aligned speeches calling for a broad coalition of the PT, PSD and other democratic forces. Both urged voters to elect PT deputy Benedita da Silva to one Senate seat and to give Pedro Paulo the “second vote of the left.” Paus emphasized defending democracy, blocking the right‑wing “bandidagem,” and supporting President Luiz Inácio Lula’s fourth term, saying “Lula will be tetra.”

Pedro Paulo expressed respect for Benedita da Silva and pledged to work with her, while Paus publicly addressed Washington Quaquá, a key PT leader in Maricá, promising to “soften Quaquá’s heart.” The rally also featured former Rio vice‑mayor Adilson Pires, a partner in Pansera’s 2026 electoral strategy. The gathering signaled an early test of the progressive base’s mobilisation ahead of the 2026 elections.