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Lula Announces Key Cabinet Names and Tries to Appease the Military

December 13, 2022 

President-elect Lula da Silva with Fernando Haddad, December 9, 2022

 

Lula’s certification: understand the importance of this event

Nara Lacerda

Translated by: Ana Paula Rocha

Edited by: Flávia Chacon e Raquel Setz

Brasil Defato, December 12, 2022

This Monday (12), the Superior Electoral Court (TSE, in Portuguese) holds the certification ceremony of president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers’ Party) and vice-president Geraldo Alckmin (Brazilian Socialist Party). Before the National Congress, both will receive a document demonstrating their eligibility to govern the country as determined by democratic elections.

This year, the event is even more symbolic due to the coupist manifestations on social media platforms and in front of Police and Army headquarters. There are even conspiracy theories about the two winners. With this certification, Brazil restores institutional normality and democracy. 

The security scheme will be enhanced. Both male and female guests will have limited access to the area. However, the plenary will not be open even for this group: some will have to watch the ceremony on large screens installed in the auditoriums and in the Court's main hall.

A limited number of journalists per media outlet will be allowed to attend the event, and their access to some areas will also be restricted. Speeches by Lula, Alckmin and Minister Alexandre de Moraes, president of the Superior Electoral Court, are expected.

The certification always happens after the end of the elections, after the vote count and the expiration of the deadlines for questioning and processing the result of the election. It marks the end of the electoral process.

Therefore, it is no longer possible to begin a judicial investigation into the elections. The law also provides for election supervisory bodies to request extraordinary verification until January 5. A request of this kind has already been filed by the Liberal Party, Jair Bolsonaro's party. However, the Superior Electoral Court has denied the legal challenge.

The Court considered that the request for annulment of the second round intended to “disturb the Brazilian democratic regime”. The Liberal Party received a fine of more than 22 million reais (about 4,1 million US dollars) for litigation in “bad faith”.

Brazil’s next government takes shape

Days before the certification, Lula announced the first five ministers of Brazil’s next government. The Ministry of Defense will be headed by José Múcio Monteiro; Fernando Haddad will be the next Minister of Finance; Flávio Dino (Brazilian Socialist Party) will head the Ministry of Justice and Public Security; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be led by Mauro Vieira, and Rui Costa (Workers’ Party) will be the government's Chief of Staff. 

The president-elect himself had said that he would only announce names after the certification ceremony. But the ministries Lula chose to make public are strategic and send key messages about how the market, Armed Forces, security and political articulation will be led.

Lula’s certification: understand the importance of this | Política (brasildefato.com.br)

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Lula Announces Key Cabinet Names and Tries to Appease the Military

President-elect released the names of five incoming ministers of his new government

Folha, Dec.10.2022 11:50AM

Translated by Cassy Dias

President-elect Lula (PT) confirmed this Friday (9) the name of five ministers who will compose his government starting in January, kickstarting the definition of strategic names from the top tier.

The announcement was made to the press at the CCBB (Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil), headquarters of the transitional cabinet, in Brasília, with messages from Lula to military sectors and to the Federal Police.

Senator-elect Flávio Dino (PSB) was chosen for the Ministry of Justice and Public Security; the governor of Bahia, Rui Costa (PT), as Chief of Staff; diplomat Mauro Vieira for Foreign minister (Itamaraty); the former president of the TCU (Federal Court of Accounts) José Múcio Monteiro for Defense; and former Minister Fernando Haddad (PT) for Finance.

The two last names were the most expected, in areas in which Lula suffered the most pressure for definitions.

In the Economy, there is an expectation that, with the appointment of the new Minister, the negotiations regarding the Transition PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) will be facilitated.

The name of the new Minister of Defense, on the other hand, was expected to try to pacify the relationship between the PT ( Workers' party) government and the Armed Forces, after four years of crisis and politicization in the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

After the announcement, Lula said that the Armed Forces were not made to do politics; and Múcio spoke of appeasement, harmony, "the most traditional as possible" change of command, and "nobody's invention".

The president-elect stated that the Armed Forces have an important and constitutional role. "The Forces were not made to do politics. People in active duty have a noble mission, which is to take care of the security of 215 million Brazilians, of our borders, and of taking care, I would say, of our sovereignty."

The future Minister of Defense said that next week he will start looking for the names of the new commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and that he will talk to the current heads of each Force.

As Folha reported, the future commanders will be General Julio Cesar de Arruda, in the Army; Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, in the Navy; and Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno (Air Force).

Those chosen names prioritize the criterion of seniority, in an attempt to disarm the resistance and eventual insubordination of the military.

Múcio is seen with good eyes both by Bolsonarists and by members of Lula's Forces and allies. He also stated that he still frequently talks with President Bolsonaro. "When he lost the elections, I went to greet him. There is not the slightest problem. In a democracy, we have to respect the opponents, it doesn't have to be an enemy. It can be an opponent. They know who I voted for."

Flávio Dino announced Federal Police chief Andrei Passos Rodrigues as the incoming Director General of the Federal Police. Lula stated that it will be necessary to fix the Federal Police and that he does not want "policemen putting on a show during investigations".

Andrei is a Federal Police Chief and held the position of coordinator of Lula's security team during the electoral campaign, a position in which he will remain until the inauguration.

"Flávio Dino has the mission of first fixing up the Ministry of Justice and fixing up the dynamics of the Federal Police," said Lula. "We don't want the police to be putting on a show during investigations before doing the actual investigation", he added.

Of the ministers announced this Friday, none are women or black. Lula said that Dino is "at least brown". Despite Gleisi Hoffmann, president of the PT, being on the president-elect’s side, she has already stated that she will not be taking over any cabinet. Lula tried to make up for the lack of diversity by promising names of "women, men, blacks, Indigenous people" in the next announcements.

Lula announces key cabinet names - 10/12/2022 - Brazil - Folha (uol.com.br)