Daniel Gallas: After months of suspense and substantial losses in opinion polls, the Brazil’s social-democrats have finally agreed on who will be the anti-Lula in the October election. Although São Paulo’s mayor José Serra – ex-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s choice – fared better in the polls, he gave up on his candidacy. His decision was announced this week, after a long battle against São Paulo state governor Geraldo Alckmin, who surprisingly one the nomination. It is now Mr. Alckmin’s responsibility to unite his party and bring the PSDB back to power.
Before his tenacious victory against Mr. Serra, Mr. Alckmin was mocked by many due to his discretion and uncharismatic nature. Revista Veja, Brazil’s leading weekly magazine, nicknamed him “the chayote popsicle”, saying that his ideas and his appeal to the electorate are as tasteless as the popular Brazilian vegetable. Journalist José Paulo Kupfer gives us a taste of the economic flavor of the Chayote Popsicle, in a review published by the Brazilian website No Mínimo.
