Marta confirms PT membership for February 2nd and awaits Lula and Haddad at the ceremony

The São Paulo directory of the Workers' Party decided on the night of this Wednesday, the 17th, that Marta Suplicy's affiliation ceremony with the party will take place on February 2nd, around 6pm. The location has not yet been defined, and is still being studied by the group. Marta's advisor confirmed the date and reiterated the expectation for the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad. Federal deputy Guilherme Boulos (PSOL), who will be on the São Paulo City Council ticket with Marta, has already confirmed that he will be present.

According to information from the directory, the list of those present has not yet been finalized, but the event will feature many municipal and national PT leaders. The date was chosen strategically, as it is before the party's founding anniversary, February 10, and Carnival, which does not make the event too far away.

After more than 30 years of membership in the PT, Marta Suplicy broke with the party in 2015 amid corruption cases. After leaving, the former mayor went to MDB and had a quick stint at Solidariedade. Today, she is not affiliated with any party.

Marta met with Lula on January 8th and agreed to return to the PT to serve as vice-president for pre-candidate Guilherme Boulos (Psol). After the decision, she was dismissed from her role as secretary of International Relations under the administration of Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB), who should be the main opponent of the former leader of the Homeless Workers Movement (MTST) in this electoral race.

Marta's name was approved by the PT's Municipal Executive, which held a meeting this Tuesday, the 16th. On that occasion, it was also decided that there would be no previews for choosing who will make up the ticket, an idea put forward by state deputy Eduardo Suplicy (PT-SP), Marta’s ex-husband.

PT left contests affiliation

Although the Executive Committee of PT São Paulo approved Marta's affiliation with the party, the procedure still requires formalization. According to the PT statute, the former mayor must fill out a membership form with the Municipal Directory, and the request must be made public by the body. After disclosure, there is a period of seven working days for any member to contest, with an equal period for defense.

In view of this, PT leaders assess that party trends opposed to Marta's return, such as Labor and Articulação de Esquerda, will contest the former mayor's membership. Despite this, the former mayor's return to the party should occur, since the majority of the municipal Executive approves the movement. At this week's meeting, Marta's membership was approved by 12 votes among the 16 members of the board.

Valter Pomar, leader of Articulação de Esquerda and national leader of the PT, requested the challenge of Marta's membership in the party even before the request was formalized. In a letter sent to the general secretary of the PT, Henrique Fontana, Pomar listed six reasons for refusing the former mayor's membership. “To support Boulos in the 2024 municipal elections, Marta does not need to be a member of the PT”, says the text.

“It is positive that, after years of contributing to the right – a time in which she even fraternized with ridiculous and nefarious figures from the extreme right –, Marta now returns to contribute to the left and even supports the Boulos candidacy in São Paulo. But it is not necessary, it is not indispensable and it is not positive that Marta does so from the PT, as it is clear that – in the way the 'operation return' was articulated – reaffiliation does not constitute a healthy 'self-criticism' but rather a demonstration of the party’s lack of respect for itself”, stated the leader in the letter.