MDB leaves Jorginho Mello government after secretary is passed over for vice

The MDB directory in Santa Catarina announced, on Monday night (26), that it will leave the management of governor Jorginho Mello (PL) in the state. The decision came after Jorginho backed out of an agreement made with the party and announced the mayor of Joinville, Adriano Silva (Novo), as a pre-candidate for vice-governor on his ticket for re-election this year. President of the Santa Catarina MDB, licensed federal deputy Carlos Chiodini (MDB-SC) was the most popular name for the position. He was the first to resign from his position in the government, as head of the State Department of Agriculture.

After Jorginho’s announcement, last Thursday, the party called a meeting to deliberate on whether to remain in government in a hotel in the capital Florianópolis, as anticipated by GLOBO. According to Chiodini, the party will continue independently to advance in the construction of its “own project” in this year’s elections.

The MDB stated, in a public note, that it will open conversations with other parties that share “the same Emedebist principles, values ​​and ideals”. According to interlocutors, the alliance could be formed with the PSD, União Brasil and Progressistas (PP). If this happens, a union could be formed around the mayor of Chapecó, João Rodrigues (PSD), a pre-candidate for government who presents himself as the true representative of the “real right”.

Still according to MDB guidance, party members must disassociate themselves from the functions they perform during Jorginho’s management. In addition to Agriculture, the acronym is in charge of three other departments: Environment, with Cleiton Fossa; Infrastructure, with licensed state representative Jerry Comper; and at the Sports Federation (Fesporte), with Jeferson Ramos Batista.

“The acronym reaffirms that it will continue to support, within the scope of the Legislative Branch, all projects that are of interest to the State and the population of Santa Catarina, maintaining its stance of institutional responsibility, even if it is separating itself from the current Government”, stated the directory led by Chiodini.

Breaking the deal

In October last year, in an interview with Jovem Pan radio, Jorginho had stated that his ticket would be formed together with the MDB. The choice of Adriano Silva, however, took state representatives by surprise.

— The deputy will be from the MDB, everything is already in order. There’s not a lot of stress. Just wait a little bit. Let’s take care of the state of Santa Catarina — said the governor.

Before that, in February 2025, the approach generated discomfort among Bolsonaro supporters of Jorginho. At the time, federal deputy Júlia Zanatta (PL-SC) was one of those who questioned whether the “criteria” used for the choice had been “voting more with the Lula government”.

Interlocutors report that, throughout the year, while the management’s rapprochement with the MDB continued to face resistance within the PL, Adriano’s electoral performance attracted attention. In 2024, he was re-elected in the first round with 78% of the votes in Joinville, the largest city in the state. As a result, he began to receive invitations from parties to participate in the next election, including Jorginho’s, officially accepted on Thursday night. The announcement had a positive impact within the more Bolsonaro wing of the governor’s party.

— I thought it was a great coalition to win in the first round, because it unites the right and strategically prevents the creation of a new right-wing movement in Santa Catarina — said Zanatta, in a video published on Thursday night. — I was against an alliance with parties that here in Brasília support the Lula government and in Santa Catarina want to be in the government. Either you are with Lula, or you are with us.