Tarcísio criticizes the ban on betting as electoral opportunism and defends responsible discussion

Of course it is electoral opportunism. What bothers me is this: the sense of urgency has only been developed now. Now they realize that this is a problem, with nine days, a week left until the election", he told journalists after campaign activity in the capital of São Paulo.

"I mean, over the course of four years, they didn't realize that Brazilians are devastated, they are in debt because of the high interest rate, and the interest rate is high because the government spends a lot. People are getting into debt in betting, looking to suddenly improve their income or achieve something. And that's an illusion, because they can't do it, they just throw money away, and now they're worried about that. In other words, it is not a week of measures that will erase four years of failure", he stated.

Tarcísio also said that voters who experience financial difficulties "are vaccinated" in relation to measures that, according to him, are electoral. "Brazilians don't want to live from Desenrola to Desenrola, because that solves the problem of past accounts. We have to start looking at how the account will close in the future. That's why Brazil needs change", declared the governor, making reference to the federal government's debt renegotiation program, whose third edition was announced this week.

Although he claims to be "absolutely against" betting and gambling, Tarcísio defended a "responsible discussion" about the ban to avoid risks of "legal uncertainty". He also said that it makes no sense for the government to support football teams that will lose sponsorship resources from bookmakers. This week, Lula stated that clubs will have to learn to live without bets.

"There are many points that need to be clarified to the population. How is the government, for example, thinking about helping football clubs? Is that right? Are we going to help football clubs with workers' money? It doesn't make sense. So there are a lot of things that need to be brought to light, this discussion that has to be responsible and Brazil has to be the country of legal security, not legal uncertainty", declared the governor.

The statement comes one day after Lula announced the ban on betting across the country, a measure that the federal government presents as a way to combat family debt and the social impacts associated with online betting.

"Some time ago I said: either Brazil ends this business or this ends Brazil, ends society, ends people. We have to protect families," he declared.