Brazil Union Party Nominates Chicão for Senate Seat in Pará

The Brazil Union party (UNIÃO) officially announced Chicão as its candidate for the Senate representing Pará. This decision was formalized during the party's convention held on Monday, August 27th, at their headquarters in Belém. Chicão, whose full name is Francisco das Chagas Silva Melo Filho, is a public servant and politician with extensive experience in Pará. Born in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, in 1961, he moved to Pará in 1975 and began his public career in Ananindeua, serving three consecutive terms as a city councilor and presiding over the Municipal Chamber. He was elected vice-mayor of Ananindeua in 2004 alongside Helder Barbalho. Chicão was first elected state deputy in 2006 and has been re-elected multiple times, also holding positions as state secretary for Public Works and Transportation. Since 2021, he has served as president of the Legislative Assembly of Pará (Alepa), being the first permanent civil servant to hold this role. The party convention also endorsed the re-election bid of Governor Hana Ghassan (MDB) and supported Helder Barbalho's candidacy for one of the Senate seats. The Brazil Union federation, comprising União Brasil and Progressistas, has also launched 60 proportional election candidacies, including 42 for state deputy and 18 for federal deputy. The deadline for party conventions to select candidates is August 5th, with registration at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) due by August 15th, and the official election campaign commencing the following day.