Helder Barbalho is elected senator for Pará in 2026 after two terms as governor

In 2026, two senators are elected in each state and in the Federal District, to renew 54 of the 81 seats in the Senate. Therefore, each voter was able to vote for two different candidates.

For Helder Barbalho, this will be his first term in the Senate. Born in Belém, he has a degree in Administration and an Executive MBA in Public Management. He began his political career as a councilor in Ananindeua, in 2000, and later served as mayor of the municipality for two terms and as a state deputy. In the federal government, he commanded the ministries of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ports and National Integration.

Helder was elected governor of Pará in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, when he won in the first round with 69.40% of valid votes. In 2026, he left the state government to run for a seat in the Senate, and then vice-governor Hana Ghassan took charge of the state.

Helder Barbalho entered the race for the Senate after two consecutive terms as governor of Pará. During the campaign, the former governor ran for the MDB, the party that also launched Hana Ghassan for re-election to the state government.

This year's dispute had two vacancies for the Senate in Pará. The definition of the second seat still depended on the progress of the count.