Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, January 24, 2004
Brazilian president reshuffles cabinet
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reshuffled the cabinet on Friday for the first time during his 13-month administration, adding two ministers of the right-wing Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and creating a new ministry.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reshuffled the cabinet on Jan. 23 for the first time during his 13-month administration, adding two ministers of the right-wing Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and creating a new ministry.
With the new appointments, the government will formalize its alliance with the party that helped it obtain important parliamentary victories last year, as Lula's left-wing Workers Party (PT) lacked a majority in Congress.
The PT-PMDB alliance will be a governmental coalition, as it will be part of the campaign for the municipal elections in October 2004.
The principal goal of the cabinet changes aimed to improve government efficiency, Lula said.
The Democratic Movement Party, the number-two party in the Chamber of Deputies with 77 seats and first in the Senate with 22,was given the ministries of communications and social security.
In all, Lula named seven new ministers to replace seven who are leaving, while Ricardo Berzoini moved from Social Security Ministry to Labor and Employment.
Jacques Wagner, the former Labor and Employment Minister, was moved to head the Economic and Social Development Council created by the president last year.
The Social Development and Fight against Hunger Ministry, a new ministry formed by the merger of the Social Assistance and Food Security, will be led by the representative Patrus Ananias (PT), former mayor of Belo Horizonte;
Lula announced the ministerial reform hours before flying on Jan. 23 night for a six-day tour to India and Switzerland, the 20thofficial trip of his administration.