Cleitinho Opens Talks With Lula and PT While Racing To Tackle Minas Gerais’ Massive Debt

Overview

• On Tuesday Cleitinho Azevedo met Guima Jardim, president of the PT directory in Belo Horizonte, and signalled a readiness to build working ties with the party as his team runs the transition.
• His transition, led by vice-governor–designate Luís Eduardo Falcão, is asking for a near-term meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss a solution for the state debt that is being renegotiated under PROPAG.
• The incoming governor announced immediate cost controls on social media that suspend state sponsorships for football clubs, ban public funding for shows and festivals, and propose a law to bar state emendas from paying musical attractions.
• Cleitinho has named key transition figures and likely cabinet leaders, including Cássio Soares as political articulator, Thiago Toscano to lead economic policy, and Otto Levy to head Cemig operations.
• Negotiations over the Assembly majority and leadership posts — with PT, PL, PSD, PP and Republicanos all in play and a consensus candidate for assembly president emerging — will determine whether federal help and Cleitinho’s spending cuts can translate into concrete budget relief for health, education and services.