Flavia Villela Reporter Agência Brasil

Rio de Janeiro – On Saturday, at its 3rd National Convention, the Socialism and Liberty Party (P-SOL [a left-wing party of dissidents from the PT], confirmed the candidacy (“pré-candidato”) of Plínio Arruda Sampaio for president in the general elections in October.
There were two other candidates for the nomination. Babá, a federal deputy, gave his votes to Plinio Sampaio, so the decision could be unanimous. This was possible because the other candidate, Mariniano Cavalcante, of Goiás, did not appear at the convention as he was attending an alternative, protest event with former senator and president of P-SOL, Heloisa Helena.
Sampaio admitted that the party was divided but expressed hope that the problem, which he said occurred in the heat of a political dispute, could be overcome in the future. He declared that one of the main goals in his campaign platform will be to halt real estate speculation and put an end to tragedies like this year’s rains of Rio and São Paulo once and for all. 
Plinio Arruda Sampaio is a retired prosecutor and the president of the Brazilian Land Reform Association (Abra). He was elected to the federal Chamber of Deputies three times, served in state government and is a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. In 2006 he was the P-SOL candidate for governor of São Paulo, finishing in fourth place.

Allen Bennett - translator/editor The News in English