Rousseff Yields to PMDB and Concludes Ministerial Reform

10/02/2015 - 09h55

President Dilma Rousseff made her last concession to the PMDB and accepted referrals from PMDB congressmen for the Health and Science and Technology ministries.

On Thursday night (1), the eve of the announcement of the new team, Rousseff settled that congressman Marcelo Castro (PMDB-PI) would head Health, and Celso Pansera (PMDB-RJ), Science and Technology.

She had already revealed to the PMDB that she accepted Castro's referral, but she resisted Pansera's, who is linked to the president of the lower house of Congress Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ). She preferred a name with "greater political weight" and connections to the area.

She ended up settling for the Castro and Pansera nominations in a meeting with the PMDB leader in the house, Leonardo Picciani (RJ) –the future ministers were present.

Benedita da Silva (PT) will work with the portfolio that will unite the secretariats for Women, Racial Equality, and Human Rights.

Rousseff has yet to signal the name Pepe Vargas (PT) or Miguel Rossetto (PT) for the future ministry that will be the result of a fusion of the Employment, Welfare and Social Development ministries.

The president's expectation is that the reform, made under the inspiration from former president Lula da Silva, will secure the votes necessary to bar the start of an impeachment process and rebuild her base in order to obtain approval for the fiscal adjustment.

Lula comes out of this invigorated, with three trusted names in the Planalto: Jaques Wagner, Ricardo Berzoini, who will assume the Government Secretariat, and Edinho Silva (Social Communication). The former president would still like Rousseff to trade Joaquim Levy for Henrique Meirelles in the Ministry of Finance.

Lula representatives told Folha that he expects that change later on. With the reform to be announced, at least 9 of the 39 ministries will become extinct. The original goal was to eliminate 10.

Translated by SUGHEY RAMIREZ

Read the article in the original language

	Pedro Ladeira - 1º.out.2015/Folhapress
	Dilma Rousseff speaks with president of PT Rui Falcao as ex-president Lula walks with Communications Minister Edinho Silva