Tarcísio de Freitas
Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas is a Brazilian former military engineering officer, bureaucratic administrator, and politician affiliated with the Republicans. He has served as Governor of São Paulo since 1 January 2023, after winning the [2022 São Paulo (state)|São Paulo gubernatorial election|2022 gubernatorial elections]. From 2019 to 2022 he served as Minister of Infrastructure in the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro, during which he oversaw transport concessions, public works projects, and the federal government’s first port privatization.
As governor, Freitas has pursued policies emphasizing private sector participation in public services, including the proposed privatization of the state water utility Sabesp and the concession of intercity rail services. His administration has also faced controversy regarding changes to the state’s police body-camera program. Analysts have identified him as a prominent figure on the Brazilian right.
Early life and education
Freitas was born in Rio de Janeiro on 19 June 1975. He began his military training at the Escola Preparatória de Cadetes do Exército in Campinas, proceeding to the Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in military sciences in 1996. He graduated in civil engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering in 2002 and completed a master’s degree in transport engineering at the same institution in 2008. He undertook further professional education in project management at Fundação Getulio Vargas and in military sciences at the Army Officers’ Advanced School ; later short courses included public–private partnerships in London and public-procurement certifications in Rome.Military and early public service
After commissioning into the Army’s engineering branch, Freitas served in line and staff posts, including command of a platoon in the 10th Combat Engineering Company and assignments with the 2nd Engineering Group, working on the design, supervision, and audit of road, waterway, airport and building works.From November 2005 to June 2006 he was chief of the technical section of Brazil’s Engineering Company in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
Leaving active duty in 2008 with the rank of captain, he entered the federal civil service as an analyst at the Comptroller General of Brazil. He served first as an adviser in the infrastructure audit directorate and then as coordinator-general for audits of the transport sector.
In August 2011 President Dilma Rousseff nominated Freitas to the board of the National Department of Transport Infrastructure as executive director; his nomination was approved by the Senate’s infrastructure committee that same month.
He became director-general of the autarchy on 22 September 2014, succeeding General Jorge Fraxe, and remained in the post until January 2015; national outlets reported the change at the time.
After his tenure at DNIT, Freitas joined the Chamber of Deputies as a legislative consultant in the area of urban development, transit and transport, and from 2016 served as secretary for project coordination in the federal Investment Partnerships Program, focusing on concessions and privatizations.
Minister of Infrastructure
Appointment and priorities
President-elect Jair Bolsonaro announced Freitas as his future minister of infrastructure in November 2018; he took office on 1 January 2019 with a brief to accelerate concessions and complete delayed public works.During the COVID-19 pandemic the ministry adjusted its schedule but maintained an auction pipeline stretching into 2021–2022.
Concessions and auctions
In March 2019 the government auctioned the central stretch of the Norte–Sul Railway. Logistics operator Rumo S.A. won a 30-year concession to operate 1,537 km from Porto Nacional, Tocantins, to Estrela d’Oeste, São Paulo, for 2.72 billion reais.Airport concessions formed a centerpiece of the program. On 7 April 2021 the federal government auctioned 22 airports in three regional blocks, raising about 3.3 billion reais in fixed bids; the largest lot was awarded to infrastructure group CCR.
Port policy and cabotage
Freitas’s portfolio advanced port-sector reforms. On 30 March 2022 the federal government privatized Companhia Docas do Espírito Santo, Brazil’s first port-authority privatization; the winning bid was placed at B3, São Paulo’s exchange.The ministry also prepared the proposed privatization of the Santos Port Authority; in his final days in office Freitas said an auction could occur in late 2022, though the incoming administration later shelved the plan.
Congress enacted the BR do Mar cabotage program during his tenure. Law 14,301/2022 sought to stimulate coastal shipping by easing chartering rules and other requirements; the measure was signed with partial vetoes in January 2022.
Rail legal framework
A new legal framework for railways established an authorization regime intended to facilitate private investment in new lines and the reuse of idle segments; it was sanctioned in December 2021 with vetoes.Parliament later overturned several of those vetoes in 2023, clarifying aspects of the framework.
Public works and project delivery
The ministry publicized the completion, in November 2019, of paving on the BR-163 corridor between Sinop, Mato Grosso and Miritituba, a community in Itaituba, Pará, a bottleneck that had long hindered grain shipments to northern ports. In December 2020 the federal government inaugurated the new Guaíba Bridge in Porto Alegre to relieve congestion and improve access to the Port of Rio Grande.Constraints and legal challenges
Some flagship initiatives faced legal and environmental hurdles. In March 2021 the Supreme Federal Court suspended the effectiveness of a 2017 law altering the limits of Jamanxim National Park in Pará, halting steps toward auctioning the planned Ferrogrão railway pending further review.More broadly, the timing and formats of auctions were reshaped by pandemic-era uncertainties and political negotiations.
Governor of São Paulo
2022 campaign for governor
Candidacy and coalition
Freitas was launched as the Republicanos candidate for governor at the party’s 30 July 2022 convention in São Paulo, an event attended by President Jair Bolsonaro; Felicio Ramuth of the PSD was announced as his running mate. The electoral court later recorded the ticket under the coalition “São Paulo Pode Mais.”Earlier that year, challenges to his transfer of voter registration from Brasília to São José dos Campos were rejected by the São Paulo regional electoral court as either untimely or unproven, allowing the candidacy to proceed.
Platform and messaging
News coverage of his platform highlighted proposals for expanding concessions and partnerships with the private sector, commitments on public security, and pledges to cut or review state taxes such as IPVA and ICMS; his campaign rhetoric contrasted his agenda with that of prior PSDB administrations and emphasized ties to Bolsonaro’s base. Media summaries of the proposals registered with the electoral court noted broad references to private investment and infrastructure, with specific projects debated during the campaign and in televised forums.Campaign events and debates
Freitas took part in major debates, including those hosted by TV Bandeirantes and TV Globo, and focused late-campaign events on the São Paulo metropolitan area in the runoff against Fernando Haddad.Paraisópolis shooting incident
On 17 October 2022 a campaign visit to the Paraisópolis neighborhood in São Paulo was interrupted by gunfire in the vicinity. Freitas and his team left the area unharmed; police reported the death of a suspect after an exchange of shots, and The episode prompted partisan dispute about security and campaign tactics.Results
In the first round on 2 October 2022 Freitas advanced to the runoff, which saw the PSDB fail to reach the second round for the first time in 28 years. He defeated Haddad in the 30 October runoff; official totals from the Superior Electoral Court recorded 55.3% of valid votes for Freitas to 44.7% for Haddad.Agenda and transition
After taking office on 1 January 2023, Freitas set out a pro-concession and privatization agenda focused on rail, highways and sanitation. His government framed the program as a means to accelerate investment and service quality, while critics questioned tariff and governance impacts.Water and sanitation: Sabesp privatization
In 2023–24 the state advanced the privatization of Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo via a share sale that reduced the state’s stake below control. On 23–24 July 2024 the state sold roughly a third of the company’s shares on B3 for about R$14.7–14.8 billion at R$67 per share, leaving the government with about 18.3% of equity; Equatorial Energia became the reference shareholder. The sale followed contentious legislative steps at the state assembly and court challenges by opponents of the operation. In May 2024, the regulator authorized a 6.4% tariff readjustment, a move analyzed by national media in the context of pre-sale pricing and investment promises.Transport and concessions
Freitas prioritised rail projects under the umbrella of “SP Nos Trilhos,” a portfolio of more than forty rail initiatives that the administration says could mobilize around R$190 billion over time; independent outlets covered the program’s launch and scope.''Rodoanel Norte.''
In March 2023 the Via Appia Infraestrutura fund won the auction to finish the Rodoanel’s northern segment, with a contractual investment of roughly R$3.4 billion and delivery targeted for 2026; the contract was signed in August 2023.''Trem Intercidades – Eixo Norte''
On 29 February 2024 the state auctioned the intercity rail corridor between São Paulo and Campinas—bundled with the concessional operation of CPTM Line 7—on B3. A consortium led by the Comporte Group won the 30-year contract, which includes rolling-stock and systems investments and a reservation of federal resources for body-camera expansion in parallel security policies.Urban rail operations
The governor maintained a pro-concession stance toward metropolitan rail. Amid frequent service incidents on the privately operated Lines 8 and 9, the administration announced penalties and compliance measures in 2023 and, later, an arrangement to convert part of assessed amounts into mandated investments in the network, which drew scrutiny in the press.Public security and police accountability
Freitas’s government launched and extended large-scale police operations in coastal and metropolitan areas. In early 2024, a renewed phase of “Operação Escudo” in the Baixada Santista registered at least sixteen deaths in its first fifteen days, prompting statements of concern from federal and international human-rights bodies and precautionary measures by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in a related case.The state’s body-camera policy for military police was also a focal point. After procurement changes that shifted away from continuous recording, Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, as president of the Supreme Federal Court, ordered São Paulo in December 2024 to ensure uninterrupted recording in defined circumstances. In May 2025, Barroso homologated an agreement establishing national guidelines and a phased expansion in São Paulo, following technical consultations with the state and federal government.
Fiscal and social policy
In November 2024, the Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment revising how the state may allocate the constitutionally earmarked 25% of tax revenue for education, permitting specific transfers to health in defined situations; the change drew criticism from education groups and opposition parties and was endorsed by government allies as a measure to address fiscal pressures.At the end of 2024, the administration reviewed sectoral tax expenditures and adjusted the special ICMS regime for bars and restaurants. After industry pushback, the government limited the effective ICMS to 4%—rather than a projected 12% if the special regime fully lapsed—framing the change as a compromise within a broader overhaul of tax benefits.
Media and cultural institutions
Relations with the Fundação Padre Anchieta were strained in 2024 amid a budget squeeze and proposals for a legislative inquiry. Press reports detailed program suspensions and layoffs at the broadcaster, while the governor signaled opposition to opening a CPI on the foundation, preferring administrative dialogue.Housing and disaster response
Following the deadly landslides and floods on São Paulo’s north coast in February 2023, the state, municipalities and the federal government coordinated emergency and reconstruction measures, including a state pledge to build permanent housing and subsequent deliveries through CDHU and the “Casa Paulista” program.State politics and municipal alliances
As governor, Freitas sought to consolidate a statewide center-right coalition anchored in his own Republicanos, Gilberto Kassab’s Social Democratic Party and, where interests aligned, the Brazilian Democratic Movement, while engaging selectively with Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party. Autopsies of the 2024 municipal cycle described a rightward drift among urban electorates without a wholesale turn to harder-line bolsonarismo, a pattern seen by commentators as advantageous to Freitas’s pragmatic positioning on the Brazilian right.Freitas prioritized party-building around Republicanos while leveraging PSD’s municipal machinery, frequently presenting himself as an electoral cabo eleitoral for business-friendly, security-focused candidacies. The arrangement produced cooperative slates in many cities but also exposed rifts with PL-backed contenders, with some disputes framed in the press as proxy contests between Kassab’s PSD and Bolsonaro’s network. In several runoffs the governor adopted neutrality or low-profile stances to avoid open breaks on the right.
Post-election tallies credited Republicanos with sizable gains in mayoralties, while noting that PL-aligned hardliners underperformed in several large urban centers; these outcomes were read as strengthening Freitas’s standing as a coalition broker within the state.
City of São Paulo
In the capital, Freitas endorsed incumbent mayor Ricardo Nunes and campaigned alongside him. Nunes defeated Guilherme Boulos in the 27 October 2024 runoff. Coverage emphasized that Nunes showcased alignment with the state government’s agenda while calibrating distance from Bolsonaro, and credited state–city cooperation for elements of his reelection strategy.Conflicts and coordination with the PL
Relations with PL candidates varied by locality. In some contests Republicanos and PSD nominees competed directly against PL-endorsed figures; elsewhere Freitas supported or later converged with PL campaigns in runoffs. This selective coordination reflected policy affinities on security and infrastructure alongside tactical differences over branding and candidate profiles.Statewide results
Outside the city of São Paulo, candidates aligned with Freitas also prevailed in major municipalities. In Campinas, Dário Saadi was reelected in the first round; in Sorocaba, Rodrigo Manga likewise secured a first-round victory; and in Santos, Rogério Santos won reelection in the runoff. All three candidates are members of Freitas' party Republicanos.In São José dos Campos, Anderson Farias —from a party allied with the state government—defeated his PL opponent in the second round; in Guarulhos, after the Republicanos nominee was eliminated, Freitas endorsed Lucas Sanches, who won the runoff.
Political positions and persona
Commentators frequently describe Freitas as a technocratic, pro-market conservative who blends managerial pragmatism with ties to former president Jair Bolsonaro. Profiles in international and Brazilian media emphasize his engineering background, comfort with policy detail, and efforts to court business support while maintaining credibility with right-wing voters.Relationship with Lula and pragmatism
Although elected with Bolsonaro’s backing, Freitas has at times adopted conciliatory positions toward President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration. In 2023 he publicly supported the federal tax-reform package championed by Lula’s economic team, a stance that drew criticism from Bolsonaro but was framed by Freitas as beneficial to São Paulo’s economy.Freitas condemned the 8 January 2023 storming of federal buildings in Brasília as “unacceptable,” and later suggested that Congress debate amnesty for people convicted in connection with those events—positions reported by national media across the political spectrum.
Political positions
Economic policy and privatization
Freitas advocates concessions and privatizations to attract private capital and accelerate infrastructure delivery. As governor he oversaw the auction to complete and operate the Rodoanel Norte and advanced railway and port concessions; reporting at the time highlighted his commitment to resuming stalled projects and broadening public-private partnerships. In July 2024 the state concluded the privatization of the water utility Sabesp through a secondary share offering that raised R$ 14.77 billion, with Equatorial Energia becoming a reference investor; the government announced tariff reductions for certain categories alongside a new investment program.Education policy
In 2023 the administration initially withdrew the state network from the federal National Textbook Program, arguing for a shift to digital materials. After the Public Prosecutor’s Office and Public Defender sought an injunction, the government reversed course and rejoined the program. The São Paulo judiciary later suspended distribution of state-produced digital materials over errors, pending corrections.Freitas also backed a statewide civic-military school model after the federal program was discontinued. The law establishing São Paulo’s program faced a preliminary suspension by the São Paulo Court of Justice in August 2024 and the government extended public consultation into 2025–26; in August 2025 a court authorized the state to hire reserve military police to staff the schools, allowing implementation to resume.
Health and drug policy
In December 2023 Freitas issued a decree regulating a state law that provides free distribution in the São Paulo public health system of cannabis-derived medicines for specified conditions, such as Dravet and Lennox–Gastaut syndromes and tuberous sclerosis. In January 2025, acting governor Felicio Ramuth vetoed a separate bill that would have authorized state production of cannabis-based medicines via the Fundação para o Remédio Popular, citing administrative and budgetary grounds; the veto was taken while Freitas was abroad and maintained by the government.Public health enforcement during COVID-19
Freitas proposed and sanctioned a state law in November 2023 granting amnesty for administrative fines issued for violating pandemic health measures, including mask mandates. The statute prompted legal challenges by political parties and review by the Federal Supreme Court ; the Attorney General of the Union later argued the law was unconstitutional.Controversies
In January 2023, the governor faced criticism for appointments viewed as favoring relatives and allies. He revoked, within a day, the nomination of his wife’s brother-in-law to a senior advisory post following public outcry and debate over anti-nepotism rules, while maintaining the appointment of Michelle Bolsonaro’s brother as a special adviser.The 2023 amnesty for COVID-19 fines also drew sustained legal and political criticism. The STF requested information from the state and the Legislative Assembly after Direct Actions of Unconstitutionality were filed, and press outlets reported that the measure benefited high-profile figures including Bolsonaro by canceling fines; litigation over the law continued into 2024.