For the position of Vice President, Cardoso selected former presidential Chief of Staff Marco Maciel of the Liberal Front Party (PFL).

Fernando Collor, a young, charismatic leader who had previous served as Governor of Alagoas, won a hotly contested election versus Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after positioning himself as a political outsider.

In the absence of Franco, Cardoso would be chosen by the PSDB (a party born from inside the PMDB) as their nominee for President of Brazil in the 1994 election.

As he had in 1989, Lula intended for Senator José Paulo Bisol of Rio Grande do Sul, a member of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), to serve as his vice presidential running mate.

A former judge, Bisol had a strong reputation as an opponent of corruption,[20] playing a key role in the investigation that ultimately led to President Fernando Collor de Mello's resignation.

Additionally, his membership of a party that played a crucial role in the centre-left coalition made his selection attractive to Lula.

[23] Key power-players in the PT, such as party president Rui Falcão, successfully convinced Lula to replace Bisol with Aloizio Mercadante.

[28] For the position of Vice President, Carneiro chose Rear Admiral[29] Roberto Gama e Silva to serve as his running mate.

[31] Carneiro, who had never been elected to office, received a larger share of the vote than longtime staple of the Brazilian Left Leonel Brizola, who had been a top candidate for the presidency four years prior.