The governor of São Paulo said he will not repeat the “mistake” of supporting Jair Bolsonaro

The governor of São Paulo and presidential pre-candidate for next October's elections, Joao Doria, reiterated on Tuesday that he was “regretful” that he endorsed President Jair Bolsonaro's candidacy in the 2018 elections, but admitted that he will not be wrong “again” this year.

“I was wrong. I assume my mistake. I'm not going to be wrong again,” said Doria, of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB, center-right), in a meeting with foreign correspondents in São Paulo.

Doria, who will leave the Government of São Paulo on March 31 to enter the electoral campaign, is running as a third way in a polarized Brazil between Bolsonaro and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his main political opponents.

The governor of the most industrialized and populous state in Brazil, however, has only 2% of the intention to vote, but he hopes to increase his popularity in the next 7 months and for this he plans to undertake a tour throughout Brazil that will begin in the northeast, Lula's electoral fortin.

Doria avoided clarifying who she would support in a possible runoff in this year's elections, but stressed that a victory for Bolsonaro or Lula would be a “disaster” for Brazil in both economic and social terms.

“I'm going to fight far-right populism as I fought far-left populism,” he said.

Regarding his political line, the businessman and journalist declared himself a “liberal” with a “social” accent, in favor of practices of social protection, public safety and the environment, among others.

“Moro cannot be ruled out of an understanding,” Doria said, although he admitted that the former magistrate is not well seen in the world of politics.

Doria's PSDB has so far closed an alliance with two centre-right parties, the MDB and União, which means that one of the acronyms must withdraw its candidate from the electoral race before the elections.

(With information from EFE)

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