Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais and presidential pre-candidate for the Novo party, criticized federal security policies during a visit to Rio de Janeiro [1].
The visit highlights Zema's strategy to make public security a central pillar of his 2026 campaign [1]. By targeting organized crime in one of Brazil's most volatile regions, the governor is positioning himself as a hardline alternative to the current federal administration.
During the event on June 15, 2026 [1], Zema toured a local community to press for stronger and more coordinated measures against criminal organizations [1]. He said that the current approach to urban violence is insufficient and lacks the necessary integration between different levels of government [2].
"A gestão federal parece estar 'cega' diante do avanço do crime organizado e da violência urbana," Zema said [2].
Beyond security, Zema addressed internal political tensions. He minimized comments made by Eduardo Bolsonaro regarding a potential break with the Novo party [1]. He said the relationship between Flávio Bolsonaro and Daniel Vorcaro remains unchanged [1].
"Não muda nada do que eu já falei sobre a relação de Flávio Bolsonaro e Daniel Vorcaro," Zema said [1].
The governor's agenda in Rio serves as a platform to highlight perceived inaction by the federal government [1]. He said there must be a shift toward integrated actions that combine intelligence and enforcement to dismantle the infrastructure of organized crime [2].
“"A gestão federal parece estar 'cega' diante do avanço do crime organizado e da violência urbana."”
Zema's focus on Rio de Janeiro's security crisis suggests a campaign strategy aimed at capturing voters concerned with law and order. By criticizing the federal government's 'blindness' to organized crime while simultaneously navigating complex relationships with the Bolsonaro family, Zema is attempting to balance a distinct party identity with the broader right-wing electoral coalition for the 2026 elections.
