Fernando Haddad (PT) said Governor Tarcísio de Freitas is damaging the interior of São Paulo by supporting the protectionist policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The accusation highlights a growing political clash over how international trade alignments affect local economies in Brazil's most populous state. By linking the governor's foreign policy preferences to regional economic decline, Haddad is attempting to shift the electoral narrative in areas where the current administration maintains strong support.
Haddad, a former Minister of Finance and pre-candidate for governor of São Paulo, first made these statements on June 16, 2026 [1]. He said that Tarcísio’s alignment with the protectionist agenda of the Trump administration is causing economic setbacks and slowing development across interior municipalities [1].
These claims were reiterated by Haddad on June 25, 2026 [2]. The focus on the interior is a strategic move for the PT candidate, who seeks to overcome difficulties in gaining votes outside the capital city.
While criticizing the governor's policy decisions, Haddad clarified that his attacks are not based on the governor's origin. "Nunca critiquei Tarcísio por ser de fora de São Paulo" (I have never criticized Tarcísio for being from outside São Paulo), Haddad said [2].
The interior of São Paulo is a critical battleground for the upcoming gubernatorial race. The region's reliance on agribusiness and manufacturing makes it particularly sensitive to shifts in U.S. trade policy and tariffs, factors that Haddad suggests are being ignored by the current state leadership [1].
“Tarcísio’s alignment with Trump’s protectionist agenda is causing economic setbacks.”
This rhetorical strategy marks a shift for Fernando Haddad, moving from general administrative criticism to specific economic arguments regarding international trade. By framing the governor's support for U.S. protectionism as a direct threat to the interior's prosperity, Haddad is attempting to decouple the rural electorate's ideological alignment with the right from their own economic interests.
