Marcos Paulo Alves de Freitas
This article analyzes the emergence of the political narrative called “Paesism,” associated with the administration of Mayor Eduardo Paes in Rio de Janeiro (2021-2025). Starting from the context of the intense national polarization between Lulaism and Bolsonaroism, it investigates how a discourse centered on managerial pragmatism, administrative efficiency, and transversal conciliation is formulated as a proposal to overcome political conflict. The analysis, of a qualitative nature and based on a case study, focuses on three dimensions: (1) the results-oriented management model; (2) the communication strategy and works of symbolic impact; and (3) the ambidextrous political articulation. It concludes that “Paesismo” is less of a consolidated ideology and more of a political narrative in formation, whose future viability depends on its ability to convert managerial efficiency into a national project with its own identity, overcoming the risks of depoliticization and programmatic ambiguity.