Ronaldo Caiado, the PSD presidential candidate and former governor of Goiás, officially launched his campaign at a party convention this week.

The candidacy marks a strategic attempt to position Caiado as a clean alternative to both the Workers' Party (PT) and candidates associated with the Bolsonaro family. By focusing on a "ficha limpa," or clean-record requirement for office, Caiado seeks to differentiate his platform from the legal and political controversies surrounding his opponents.

During the convention, Caiado criticized the PT and the current state of the country. He said the public "não aguenta mais quatro anos da atual situação" [2]. He also addressed a rival candidate, though reports differ on whether he mentioned Flávio Bolsonaro by name. In some accounts, Caiado referred to his opponent as a "candidato Kinder Ovo" [1], a term implying a candidate who is a surprise or lacks a clear, defined substance [1].

Caiado emphasized his desire to stabilize the political climate. "Quero pacificar o país," he said [2]. He used the platform to highlight his previous achievements as governor of Goiás to demonstrate his administrative capability.

Despite the aggressive rhetoric toward his rivals, Caiado currently faces a steep climb to the top of the ticket. He appears in third place in the main intention-of-vote polls for the presidency [3]. His strategy relies on capturing voters who are dissatisfied with the current administration but wary of the Bolsonaro legacy.

The convention served as the formalization of his bid, cementing the PSD's direction for the upcoming election cycle. Caiado continues to push for a political environment where candidates must prove their legal integrity before seeking the highest office in the land.

“"candidato Kinder Ovo"”

Caiado's use of the "Kinder Egg" metaphor suggests a strategy to portray his rivals as superficial or unpredictable. By emphasizing a "clean record," he is attempting to occupy a centrist-right space that appeals to institutional stability and legality, aiming to peel away voters from the Bolsonaro camp without fully aligning with their more polarizing elements.