Douglas Ruas Declared Rio de Janeiro Governor-Elect After Court Order Changes Vote Count

Overview

• The TSE ruled that votes for Anthony Garotinho were void and the TRE-RJ retallied results on Saturday, which moved Douglas Ruas from about 49.27% to 50.88% and produced a first-round victory certification.
• In his first interviews as governor-elect, Ruas said public security is his top priority and pledged to call all candidates already approved in police and security exams to expand state forces and maintain a permanent presence in communities.
• Ruas warned the 2027 budget proposal shows roughly a R$13–14 billion deficit and said he will seek a spending cap, discuss changes with legislative leaders, and push measures such as taxpayer regularization and debt transação to shrink the gap.
• He set near-term delivery targets during the transition, including naming secretaries immediately and finishing the Hospital do Câncer e do Coração in Nova Friburgo within 100 days, while avoiding naming specific cabinet picks.
• The opposition coalition for Eduardo Paes announced plans to appeal the TSE decision to the STF, which could delay the transition and complicate negotiations over policing hires, budget cuts, and disaster-preparedness plans for vulnerable areas like Petrópolis.