Rio Mayor Paes: 'I support Lula, but I am not a vassal' ahead of runoff

Former Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes publicly reaffirmed support for Lula in the second round while distancing himself from the PT and criticizing Lula's weak performance in the state. This signals potential friction within the pro-Lula coalition in Rio, where Lula underperformed, and may affect local campaign dynamics.