The PRTB has replaced Pablo Marçal with its national president, Leonardo Avalanche, in Brazil’s presidential race after the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) unanimously rejected Marçal’s ticket registration. Avalanche, previously the vice-presidential nominee, was registered as the presidential candidate, with Silvia Helena da Silva Pereira named as his running mate; the new filing remains pending review.¹

From the party’s perspective, the switch is not a retreat but a continuation of the campaign it had planned around Marçal. Avalanche said the PRTB had fought to keep him in contention: “We tried in every possible way, but the entire system turned against us.” He added that he and Marçal had decided not to abandon their project, saying it would continue under Avalanche’s name and retain “everything we have always defended.”¹

The court’s reasoning, as reported by both accounts, is more procedural than political. The TSE found that Marçal had not proved he joined the PRTB within the statutory deadline. It also cited his ineligibility through 2032, linked to a 2024 São Paulo mayoral-election case. Marçal submitted a letter withdrawing his candidacy before the replacement ticket was formalized.¹

A separate account notes that Marçal had relied on a preliminary São Paulo regional electoral ruling recognizing his PRTB affiliation retroactively, while the TSE concluded the requirement had not been met. It also reports that his political rights were suspended for eight years over improper use of media during the 2024 campaign.²

Avalanche’s statement frames the dispute as resistance to an unfairly aligned system; the TSE’s decision, by contrast, centers on affiliation deadlines and eligibility rules. The immediate result is the same: Marçal’s registration is listed as denied, while Avalanche’s bid awaits a judicial decision.²