Fernando Haddad, a Workers' Party (PT) pre-candidate for the government of São Paulo, warned that paramilitary militias are expanding into the state's interior.
The warning highlights a growing security concern in Brazil's most populous state, where the infiltration of organized crime into local governance and logistics could destabilize the region.
During visits to Hortolândia and Piracicaba on July 2, 2026, Haddad presented his proposals for the rural regions and the agribusiness sector [4, 5]. He said that São Paulo runs the risk of starting to have militias in the interior, similar to the situation seen in Rio de Janeiro [1].
According to Haddad, these paramilitary groups are not merely operating on the fringes but are infiltrating the security sector [5]. He said that this infiltration is specifically targeting the transport of cargo in the interior of the state [5].
These statements come as Haddad seeks to build support in rural areas, where he faces resistance and the favorability of opponent Tarcísio de Freitas [2, 3]. To counter this, the PT has reinforced its strategy of leveraging Vice President Geraldo Alckmin to boost Haddad's visibility among interior voters [2].
Haddad said the presence of these groups could compromise the general security of the region [4]. By comparing the situation to Rio de Janeiro, the pre-candidate emphasized the urgency of preventing a similar systemic collapse of public order in the interior of São Paulo [1].
The campaign efforts in July focused on presenting a platform that balances the needs of the agribusiness industry, and increased security measures to prevent the entrenchment of these illegal groups [4, 5].
“"São Paulo corre risco de 'começar a ter milícias no interior, como no Rio de Janeiro'."”
The warning about militias signals a shift in the 2026 campaign narrative, moving the focus from purely economic agribusiness disputes to a critical security crisis. If paramilitary groups are indeed infiltrating cargo transport, it suggests a vulnerability in the state's logistics chain that could impact national supply lines and increase the influence of non-state actors in local politics.
