The privatization of Sabesp has become one of the main attack points of Fernando Haddad (PT) against Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) in the electoral campaign in São Paulo, leading the re-election candidate to initiate a legal offensive against the opponent.
Between August 28 and 31, Tarcísio and his coalition, Coragem para Seguir Avançando, filed 12 lawsuits at the Regional Electoral Court (TRE-SP) requesting right of reply and condemnation of the PT candidate.
The first lawsuit claims Haddad promoted a "fabrication of fake news" by stating, during radio advertisements, that there was a 6.11% increase in water bills for people in São Paulo. Tarcísio's defense argues that what occurred on January 1 was only an inflation adjustment for 16 months, not an increase, and that "inflation adjustment is not an increase."
Haddad's team, meanwhile, asserts that the alleged increase has been widely explored in interviews, debates, and internet posts, using the issue as an argument against the opponent's administration.
