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ST. PETERSBURG — In the midst of a hotly contested mayoral primary and city council elections, the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement candidates were endorsed by the group’s founder at a rally Tuesday. Uhuru founder Omali Yeshitela, who himself ran for mayor in 2001, endorsed mayoral candidate Jesse Nevel, 27, and District 6 council candidate Eritha “Akile” Cainion, 20. Both have already qualified for their respective races. “We are winning,” chanted the crowd of about 40. Yeshitela railed against the glut of other candidates in the mayoral and City Council races, describing them as “corporate puppets.” He praised the two Uhuru movement candidates as disruptors of the status quo: rising housing costs, broken cemeteries, gentrification and “parrot-like” politicians. “Our candidates believe…