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Ricardo Nunes
Current politicianBrazil

Ricardo Nunes

Mayor of São Paulo (since May 2021, re-elected in October 2024; term to December 2028) · Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB)

Ricardo Nunes is the MDB mayor of São Paulo, who privatised Sabesp's city contract and backed Flávio Bolsonaro for president in 2026.

Positions as of 30 October 2026
Profile on 12 axes6 of 12 documented
ECONOMYSTATESOCIETYWORLDOwnershipMarketsWelfareAuthoritySecurityStructureMoralityReligionTechnologyCultureTradeForeign

Positions are taken from public statements, voting records and platforms as of 30 October 2026, and may have changed since. Report an inaccuracy.

Where they stand

The 12 axes, axis by axis

  1. 01Ownership+50
    PublicPrivate

    He sent the city's bill to join the Sabesp privatisation and sanctioned it in May 2024. That scores clearly toward private ownership.

  2. 02Markets+35
    PlannedFree

    Private partnerships and the Sabesp deal point toward markets, but he also keeps a large bus subsidy and Sunday free fares. The score is moderate.

  3. 03Welfare+5
    SharedSelf-reliant

    The city pays about R$ 6.5 billion a year in bus subsidies and runs free Sunday fares, though he raised the base fare to R$ 5 and rejected full free fares. The score sits near the middle.

  4. 04Authority+20
    DemocraticStrong leader

    He aligned with Jair Bolsonaro's camp in 2024 and backed Flávio Bolsonaro in 2026, and defended his guards against a court restraint. The score is slightly toward strong leadership, on thin evidence.

  5. 05Security+60
    LibertyOrder

    He expanded the municipal guard, backed 20,000 cameras, and said guards would 'not accept' attacks in the Cracolândia, with a court ruling later limiting their tactics. That scores clearly toward order.

  6. 06StructureNo clear record
    LocalCentral
  7. 07MoralityNo clear record
    ProgressiveTraditional
  8. 08ReligionNo clear record
    SecularReligious
  9. 09Technology-15
    EmbraceCaution

    He announced AI-enabled cameras across the city. The score is mildly toward embracing technology.

  10. 10CultureNo clear record
    MulticulturalNational identity
  11. 11TradeNo clear record
    GlobalProtected
  12. 12Foreign policyNo clear record
    CooperationStrength

6 axes have no clear record: no documented statement, vote or platform places Ricardo Nunes there, so matching leaves them out.

Who is Ricardo Nunes?

Ricardo Nunes was born in 1967 and became mayor of São Paulo in 2021. He was re-elected in 2024 after a runoff against Guilherme Boulos. A member of the MDB, he has worked closely with Governor Tarcísio de Freitas. He said in December 2025 that he would not run for governor in 2026 and would stay mayor until his term ends in 2028. He declared support for Flávio Bolsonaro for president in the same month, and on 8 October 2026 he expected the MDB to back Flávio in the runoff.

Previously: Vice-mayor of São Paulo (2017-2021) · City councillor of São Paulo · Businessman

Documented positions

  • He sent the bill allowing the city to join the Sabesp privatisation; the City Council passed it on 2 May 2024 by 37 votes to 17, and he sanctioned it that day.Source: poder360.com.br
  • From 6 January 2025 the bus fare rose from R$ 4.40 to R$ 5, with R$ 6.5 billion budgeted in subsidies for bus companies, while Sunday fares are free.Source: revistaoeste.com
  • In 2023 he said the city had added 1,000 municipal guards and would run 20,000 cameras, 14,000 with artificial intelligence, around the Cracolândia and elsewhere.Source: jovempan.com.br
  • In June 2024 a judge barred the municipal guard from rubber bullets and gas bombs in the Cracolândia; Nunes said he would appeal.Source: sbtnews.sbt.com.br
  • He said in December 2025 that he would not run for governor, that he would stay mayor until 2028, and that he would work for a project not led by Lula.Source: cnnbrasil.com.br
  • He declared support for Flávio Bolsonaro as the centre-right candidate in December 2025, and said Flávio must build alliances.Source: cnnbrasil.com.br
  • On 8 October 2026 he said 15 of the MDB's 27 state branches already backed Flávio and expected the national party to follow in the runoff.Source: bnewssaopaulo.com.br

Record

His administration has pursued concessions and a partnership model: the Sabesp change, the bus subsidy system and a large camera network. The Cracolândia has been the most disputed area. The state prosecutors' lawsuit, which led to the June 2024 ruling, alleged aggressive stops by the municipal guard, and Nunes denied that guards act like police. Supporters credit him with the Sunday free fare, the camera network and a working alliance with the state government. Critics, including opposition councillors who protested at the Sabesp vote, charge that the privatisation and fare increases hurt residents.

In their words

“Isso vale para o Flávio Bolsonaro.”
Roda Viva interview on TV Cultura, 15 December 2025

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Ricardo Nunes: questions

Is Ricardo Nunes still mayor of São Paulo?

Yes. He was re-elected in 2024, said in December 2025 he would not run for governor, and his term runs to December 2028.

Which party is Ricardo Nunes in?

The MDB. He is an ally of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas and said he backed Flávio Bolsonaro for president in 2026.

What did Ricardo Nunes do about Sabesp?

He sent the bill letting the city join the privatisation, which the City Council passed 37 to 17 on 2 May 2024, and he sanctioned it the same day.

Sources

12axes-test.com is not affiliated with any politician or party. A profile summarises documented positions; it is not an endorsement.

Portrait: Ricardo Nunes, December 2024.jpg by Celso Silva / Governo do Estado de SP, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and converted to grayscale by 12axes-test.com.