Eduardo Paes, the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, has declared his intention to resign from his position in order to run for the state government of Rio de Janeiro. During an event with President Lula, Paes remarked that he was tired of his current role and wants to pursue a new political challenge. He humorously noted that he plans to leave the mayor's post in 15 days, indicating his ambitions to transition from the "Palácio da Cidade" to the "Palácio Guanabara," which is the seat of the state government.

His announcement comes during the inauguration of the Professor Moacyr Sreder Bastos tunnel, a significant infrastructure project in the west zone of Rio, which represents a part of the city's strategic developments. The project, boasting a budget of R$ 1 billion, marks one of the city's major urban improvements. Notably, this is a region where the former president Jair Bolsonaro had a strong electoral advantage over Lula in the 2022 elections, underlining the political stakes involved in the upcoming elections.

While aligning with President Lula, Paes has already outlined that he will choose a vice-presidential candidate from the MDB party for his campaign. This decision reflects a strategic move to consolidate political alliances as he transitions his focus from local governance to state-level ambitions. His resignation and subsequent campaign will be closely watched as they could reshape the political landscape in Rio de Janeiro, especially in the aftermath of the contentious electoral rivalry experienced in recent years.