SAO PAULO, March 31 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday that Vice President Geraldo Alckmin will again be his running mate in October's presidential election.
The announcement follows months of speculation over whether Alckmin would drop off the ticket to run for office in his home state of Sao Paulo, where he previously served as governor for more than a decade.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Lula - who will seek a fourth non-consecutive term in October - also said Alckmin will step down from his role as minister of development, industry, trade and services to join the presidential ticket.
Alckmin, Lula's centrist rival in the 2006 election, joined the leftist leader's ticket in 2022 in an attempt to build a broad coalition to rival then-right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated by a narrow margin.
During the campaign, Alckmin was seen as key to calm investors fearing more interventionist economic policy and lure support in Brazil's southeastern region, where Lula had struggled in previous elections.
As trade minister, Alckmin last year oversaw Brazil's negotiations with the United States over a 50% tariff imposed by Washington on U.S. imports of several Brazilian goods, which were later reduced.
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Writing by Fernando Cardoso)
