The election in Rio de Janeiro has placed the spotlight on politicians beyond the candidates competing for the Guanabara Palace. Douglas Ruas (PL) seeks to highlight Eduardo Paes' (PSD) alliance with Lula (PT), trying to bring national polarization to Rio. Meanwhile, the former mayor of the capital emphasizes in his speeches the Bolsonaro-aligned candidate's connection to former governor Cláudio Castro (PL), under whom Ruas served as secretary.
For specialists consulted by the publication, the strategies of both candidates may sound similar, but they have very different objectives. Ruas' effort to link Paes to Lula has the main goal of nationalizing the campaign, not only trying to attach PET (Petrobras) rejection to the former mayor of Rio, but also bringing Flavio Bolsonaro (PL), who is running for the Presidential Palace, into the local race.
