June 10, 2022

09:06

Priscilla Peixoto – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – The pre-candidate to the Senate Arthur Virgilio Neto (PSDB) was honored in a big popular party on Thursday night, 9, for 45 years of public life. Organized by the group “Friends of Arthur Neto”, the event held in the West Zone of Manaus was attended by politicians, friends, supporters and Virgilio’s family.

“It is the recognition of the people of Amazonas, that when we act, we act well, in the Senate, defending the Free Trade Zone, a good environmental policy and not giving in to anyone. I didn’t arrive as a lawmaker, there, centuries ago, with my head down, thinking that the richer states had more talent than us. My first speech was already a big fuss, it was on Jornal Nacional, that is, I got in for real, I’m going in for real”, declared Arthur Virgílio, moved, when he made an evaluation of his political career.

Pre-candidate for the only seat in the Senate, for Amazonas, Arthur Virgílio Neto said that, if elected and returns to occupy the post, he will work in favor of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (MFTZ) and defend the development of new economic matrixes.

“If I return to the Senate, be sure that there will be a voice that no one in this country has the strength to silence. I am there to defend the Free Trade Zone, to defend new economic matrix options, to defend the purity of our rivers. I will be there, attentive, fearing no one, with the clear objective of defending my state,” he said.

Attack to the FTZ

About the latest attacks on the Manaus Free Trade Zone by the federal government, Arthur Virgílio guaranteed that the main economic model of the state will not be touched anymore, unless it is to “reform it, modernize it, give it prestige, or finance it”.

“It is no longer touched because if not I will build forces to paralyze, whenever I want, the work of the National Congress, it was like this and it will be like this. At the same time, I am sure that we will have a lot of traffic and we will show that this is a paradise for cultural tourism, a paradise for biodiversity. We have to put to work the biotechnology industry, which is trillionaire and which ends with poverty, not only in the Amazon, but with poverty in the whole of Brazil,” said Arthur when defending the creation of new economic matrixes.

“So, it is for the people from the Center-South, from the South, to open their eyes and realize that the wealth of Brazil is not there, they have already given what they had to give. The wealth of Brazil, the only possible, the only possible frontier of development to change the social, economic, and political picture of Brazil is in the correct and sustainable exploration of what nature offers us in the Amazon”, emphasized the pre-senate candidate.

First alternate

Announced as the first alternate on Arthur Virgílio’s ticket, Maria do Carmo stressed the importance of education and thanked for the opportunity. “Education opens doors, and along this path with my children, who work with us every day, we witnessed miracles, people whose lives were transformed by education. Having Arthur in the Senate, who has always made our state great, fought for and is a reference, we need this”, she highlighted.

Maria do Carmo is a businesswoman, teacher, accountant, lawyer, Master in Law and PhD candidate in Law. She is the dean of the Fametro University Center and maintains the Santa Tereza College. Born in Manaus, Maria do Carmo is a woman ahead of her time who, since she was young, has worked and undertaken in several market sectors.

Qualities highlighted

Amazonino Mendes (Cidadania) was present at the event and in his speech highlighted Arthur Neto’s qualities. “One of the bravest politicians in the history of this country. I know how much he is a warrior, fighter, brave, firm, cut by God to give the Amazonian message to the Senate. In life we have had disagreements, even in our political career, but I can tell the whole community that Arthur Virgílio has always treated me with dignity and respect. He was a friend of my late wife, has always shown himself to be intellectual, competent and capable”, praised the pre-candidate to the Government of Amazonas.

Municipal president of PSDB Manaus, Rosivaldo Cordovil also thanked the trust and highlighted the work done by Arthur, while senator of the Republic. “We are on a walk to defend the State of Amazonas, we are with a haughty voice that has always been defending the interests of our state. Even not being in Brasília, Arthur defended our interest and, mainly, the interest of the Manaus Industrial Pole. We are all here in search of dreams, but real dreams for our people”, said Rosivaldo.

Political career

Diplomat and one of the most prestigious politicians in the country, the former minister, former senator and former mayor of Manaus made his debut in public life in 1977, when he integrated the first young party executive in the fight against dictatorship, a movement led by the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), opposition party to the military regime installed in April 1964.

Arthur Virgílio Neto was chief minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic in Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s government, federal lawmaker and senator for 20 years, a period in which he was twice leader of President FHC in the National Congress, besides being opposition leader in the Senate for eight years. He was three times mayor of Manaus, his hometown.