Lula is only expected to announce new names for his cabinet after resolving the impasse in Congress.

Eduardo Maretti, Rebuildables - The new government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has confirmed seven ministers. Those already announced for some key portfolios represent crucial points for a government that will take office with the task of rebuilding the country, ravaged by four years of Bolsonaro's rule. Other positions have been the subject of intense negotiations, which simultaneously involve assembling the president-elect's base in Congress and the approval of the Transition Amendment.

At the same time, in the complex political chess game of assembling the cabinet, the president-elect needs to consider both the parties that were on his side in the electoral contest and the states that elected allies or close leaders. This includes the Northeast region. The appointments of former governors Rui Costa (Bahia) and Flávio Dino (Maranhão), as well as José Múcio from Pernambuco, make this regional criterion evident.

Based on information from the last two days, Lula is expected to announce five or six more names to fill positions in the Ministries next week. However, a surprise announcement could also happen at any moment, to satisfy the media's "thirst for news."

Incidentally, three weeks after the election, Lula's vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin, was pressured by journalist Miriam Leitão to reveal the names of the future cabinet. In response, the former PSDB member and Lula's trusted advisor deflected the pressure with humor: "I used to say there were two anxious people in life: politicians and journalists. Now I think there are three: politicians, journalists, and the market."

Allies' expectations

Within the PT (Workers' Party) and among Lula's inner circle, the expectation is that new high-profile appointments will only occur after Tuesday, when negotiations on the Transition Amendment (PEC da Transição) may be unlocked. Lula is expected to speak with Arthur Lira (PP-AL), the Speaker of the House, before then. It is still unknown whether the negotiation will be successful. If it fails, plan B could be a provisional measure.

Announcing a minister for a highly coveted position before the PEC (Proposed Constitutional Amendment) process is unblocked could upset allies within the broad coalition. This would mean fewer votes in the PEC vote, which requires 308. "And every vote is important," Jilmar Tatto, the PT's national communications secretary, told RBA.

Regarding the potential appointment of names from outside the PT party to the ministry, Jilmar confirms to the reporter that, as reported in another outlet, he did indeed say that the party "will not create obstacles to whatever the president chooses." The ministry in question is Social Development, which is the one desired by Senator Simone Tebet (MDB).

"They asked if the PT opposed the president's nomination. I said no. Probably (the question) was about Simone Tebet as well. The PT does not oppose the president's nominations. The PT would prefer that someone from the party be in that ministry. It's different (to say that he opposes"The PT nominates, demands, and gives its opinion, but the prerogative belongs to the president," says the leader.

The names confirmed so far were responses to political urgencies. With Haddad, for example, Lula signaled that he would not give up on someone he trusted, although he was willing to engage in dialogue with the market. With José Múcio, the intention was to appease the High Command of the Armed Forces with a name from outside the PT (Workers' Party) and "palatable" to the military, after Bolsonaro's dangerous militarization and his constant threat to democracy.

See below for the ministers who have already been confirmed.

• Farm – Fernando Haddad;
• Chief of Staff – Rui Costa;
• Defense – José Múcio Monteiro;
• Justice – Flávio Dino;
• Foreign Relations – Mauro Vieira;
• Work – Luiz Marinho;
• Culture – Margareth Menezes.

Names that may be announced in the future.

Although not yet confirmed, former Ceará governor Camilo Santana is expected to be the Minister of Education.

Former Health Minister under Dilma Rousseff, Alexandre Padilha is a strong contender for a position in the Esplanade of Ministries. He is being considered for the Institutional Relations portfolio, a position he previously held during Lula's second term.

Simone Tebet is not only the leading MDB candidate for the government, but she also intends to head the Ministry of Social Development. Apparently, Lula hasn't made a final decision yet because this is a portfolio considered "vital" for the PT.

The current president of Fiesp, Josué Gomes da Silva, has already been invited by Lula to assume the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. At Fiesp, Josué is facing an attempted "coup" by the organization's former president, the Bolsonaro supporter Paulo Skaff, who wants to oust him. Josué is the son of former president José Alencar, and therefore also enjoys Lula's personal affection and loyalty, something the Workers' Party leader highly values.

First woman in healthcare.

Public health expert Nísia Trindade is the most likely candidate to take over the Ministry of Health. President of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) since 2017, she is considered a "dream" candidate to head the ministry that Jair Bolsonaro vilified, leaving it under the control of General Eduardo Pazuello in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nísia holds a doctorate in Sociology (1997) and a master's degree in Political Science (1989), and would be the first woman to lead the Ministry of Health.

Another name considered certain for the ministry is Márcio França (PSB). A former pre-candidate for governor of São Paulo, he gave up his candidacy to support Fernando Haddad for governor and Lula for president. He is being considered for the Ministry of Cities, Science and Technology, or Ports. The PSB caucus nominated him for the position on November 30th.

Former governor of Alagoas and senator-elect Renan Filho (MDB) has emerged in recent days as a possible candidate to head the Planning Ministry. Economist Esther Dweck, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the position, as a technical expert to work in partnership with Haddad at the Finance Ministry.

Planning, Attorney General's Office and Comptroller General's Office

However, the need for political figures to accommodate the large number of allies tends to weigh more heavily in the final stretch. Former governor of Piauí and senator-elect Wellington Dias (PT) also appears as a candidate for the position.

Lula has already chosen the names to head the Comptroller General's Office (CGU) and the Attorney General's Office (AGU), according to the newspaper. The State of S. PaulAccording to the Attorney General's Office (AGU), the nominee will be prosecutor Jorge Messias, former deputy chief of Legal Affairs in the Civil House of the Dilma Rousseff government.

The lawyer Vinicius Marques de Carvalho, who was president of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) and Secretary of Economic Law at the Ministry of Justice during Dilma's government, will be appointed to the CGU. 

Subscribe to 247, Support via Pix, Subscribe to TV 247, in the channel Cuts 247 and watch: