Brazil’s 9 New Ministers Swear In. Lula Urge Them to Finish Projects.

At a ceremony in the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Palácio do Planalto Monday, Abril 3, nine new ministers took office.

They will be substituting members of Lula’s cabinet who according to Brazil’s electoral legislation had to resign their post so they will be able to run for office in the October elections

Seven of the new ministers were executive secretaries. They are: Orlando Silva de Jesus Júnior, who now heads the Ministry of Sports where he substitutes Agnelo Queiroz; Paulo Sérgio de Oliveira Passos, the new minister of Transportation, substituting Alfredo Nascimento; Pedro Brito Nascimento, who substitutes Ciro Gomes at the Ministry of National Integration; Altemir Gregolin, who will head the Secretariat of Aquiculture and Fishing substituting José Fritsch; Guilherme Cassel, the new minister of Agrarian Development substituting Miguel Rossetto; Jorge Agenor who substitutes Saraiva Felipe at the Ministry of Health; and Jorge Hage who takes over the GAO (Controladoria Geral da União) substituting Waldir Pires.

Pires will take over the Ministry of Defense substituting José Alencar who leaves the ministry but remains vice president. Finally, at Institutional Relations, Tarso Genro, a former minister of Education in the Lula government and ex-president of the PT, will substitute Jaques Wagner.

Four of the new ministers are acting ministers: Altemir Gregolin (Aquiculture and Fishing); Guilherme Cassel (Development); José Agenor ílvares da Silva (Health) and Jorge Hage (GAO – Controladoria Geral da União).

Lula asked the nine new ministers to continue the projects left by their predecessors. "There is no time for inventions. The most important step now is to conclude the projects," said Lula during their investiture ceremony, at the Planalto Palace.

Lula told the new Ministers to work hard during the eight months that precede the inauguration of the next President. "We need to work more, and better, because we know what expects us. From now on, we need to be realistic, humble and courageous to face the battle."

Agência Brasil