The Popular Union made official this Sunday (24) the name of Leonardo Pericles for the Presidency of the Republic. The participation of dentist Samara Martins as vice-president was also formalized, in the slate that will compete for a vacancy in the Plateau this year.
During the party convention, which took place in Natal, Pericles defended the formation of a great popular front to act in the electoral process. “Central policy will be made by the people,” he said in his speech. “As defenders of democratic freedoms, we call on the people to begin a new journey of street activities,” he added.
During the speech, Pericles highlighted the importance of all Brazilians being able to democratically choose who will preside over the country over the next four years.
Profile
Leonardo Pericles is the only black man in the presidential race. Born in Belo Horizonte, he is an electronics technician and machine maintenance mechanic. The presidential candidate began to approach politics in student movements in the early 2000s. Years later, he joined the Movimento de Luta nos Bairros, Vilas e Favelas (MLB). In 2008, he ran for a seat on the Belo Horizonte City Council, but was not elected. Already for the Popular Union in the last municipal elections, in 2020, he ran as a candidate for vice mayor of Belo Horizonte (MG), on the ticket of Áurea Carolina (PSOL). They came in fourth with 103,115 votes.
Samara Martins is a native of Belo Horizonte, a dentist within the scope of the Unified Health System (SUS). A resident of the periphery of Natal, Samara is national vice-president of the Popular Unity for Socialism and a militant of the Movement for Struggle in Neighborhoods, Towns and Favelas and the Olga Benario Women’s Movement. She began her militancy in the high school movement and was the women’s director of the National Union of Students (UNE). In the 2020 elections, she was a candidate for councilor in Natal.
