“I haven’t given up anything, let alone my dream of changing Brazil,” he told a press conference.
Moro said he would continue to work for a political alternative to the “extremes” on offer to readers in October’s election which promises to be a highly polarized race between far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Moro did not give details of his political plans, but ruled out running for the lower house of Congress.
This leaves open the possibility that Moro could still emerge as a presidential candidate for the Brazilian Union, which has yet to name anyone, and other center-right parties seeking a third candidate among Bolsonaro. and former President Lula.
If that doesn’t happen, Moro could seek a seat in the Senate for the Brazilian Union representing Sao Paulo, Brazil’s richest state.
Moro’s statements at the press conference have angered some Brazilian Union leaders who oppose him being their presidential candidate, and they will try to cancel his membership in the party, he said. Reuters an assistant to its secretary general, the former mayor of Bahia ACM Neto.
Political analysts said removing Moro from the race would help Bolsonaro, as the 8% of voters who support Moro in early polls would never vote for Lula.
Moro rose to prominence leading the massive “Car Wash” corruption investigation that imprisoned some of Brazil’s political and economic elite, including Lula.
He later joined Bolsonaro’s government as justice minister, before resigning after falling out with the president, alleging he was interfering with federal police to protect his sons from corruption investigations.
Bolsonaro has lost public support due to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation and faces an uphill battle for re-election. Lula would get 43% of the vote in the first round, compared to 26% for Bolsonaro if the election were held today, according to the Datafolha polling institute last week.