The mayor of São Paulo, Bruno Covas, in October 2020. Fernando Bizerra / EFE
The governor of São Paulo, Bruno Covas, 40, announced this Sunday that he is leaving office at the head of the largest metropolis in Brazil for 30 days to dedicate himself to the treatment of cancer, detected in October 2019 between the esophagus and the stomach , for which he was already undergoing chemotherapy. The tumor spread through the liver and bones this year. The politician from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) has held the position of mayor since 2018. In his social networks, Covas explained that the disease requires a more rigorous treatment at this time and that he cannot be divided between taking care of his health and directing the city. “I always said that my responsibilities to São Paulo would guide my decisions. I have strictly followed the recommendations of the medical team and have been working remotely these last days, ”he wrote.
Obrigado to all.
O support and affection that I received is essential to overcome the challenges that I have been facing.
With force, focus and faith, we will win.
pic.twitter.com/0xXeBVT6RW
- Bruno Covas (@brunocovas) May 2, 2021
An endoscopy performed this Monday detected bleeding and the mayor had to be intubated.
In his place, he assumes his second, Ricardo Nunes.
Since discovering cancer two years ago, Covas has remained in office even during the pandemic, reconciling treatment with work at the head of the city.
But the new outbreak demanded more.
On May 15, he entered a new chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment.
He was discharged on the 27th. However, his recovery was short-lived.
The news generated a wave of solidarity in Brazil. “I wish Bruno Covas strength and recovery. Enough of confusing contrary political positions with inhumanity, "published Guilherme Boulos, from the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), which contested the municipal elections with Covas in the second round last year. The electoral campaign for São Paulo has brought significant encouragement to the acidic environment of Brazilian politics in recent years. The two opponents staged debates without appeal, focused on proposals for the city.
Covas is the grandson of Mario Covas, a popular politician in Brazil, who was the governor and governor of São Paulo and also faced cancer while in power. He died in 2001. Like his grandfather, the mayor was always transparent about his illness. In February of this year, he announced that a nodule appeared in his liver and that he was beginning new chemotherapy sessions. He strengthened and maintained his work leading the fight against the pandemic. In 2020, he slept for almost three months at the city hall to work more closely. The first case in Brazil of a person infected by coronavirus was registered in the city of São Paulo at the end of February 2020. The responsibility of containing the outbreaks of contagion of the coronavirus was its main mission. While he was living in the town hall, his son visited him periodically.
In June of last year, Covas was diagnosed with covid-19, but recovered quickly. He played an active role throughout the health crisis, in line with the state governor, João Doria. Covas came to the mayor's office as second to Doria in 2016. He took office in April 2018, when he launched his candidacy for governor of the state. He took an active role defending science, while the president of Brazil treated the coronavirus as a "flu." On April 25, he celebrated the three million doses of vaccines administered to the citizens of São Paulo, of which one million correspond to the second dose.
São Paulo will be under the leadership of Ricardo Nunes, who began his political life as a councilor in 2012. A lawyer and businessman, Nunes is a conservative and saw his name involved in some scandals, such as the attack on an ex-wife (who later changed his version and denied having been a victim of violence) to corruption involving family businesses.
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