Former mayors of Suzano, Osasco and São Bernardo assume strategic secretariats; In a speech, the mayor reinforced his commitment to the periphery
Ricardo Nunes (MDB) took office this Wednesday (January 1, 2025) for his 2nd term as mayor of São Paulo and announced 28 secretaries, including 3 former mayors of the metropolitan region, to command strategic bodies in the city.
Former mayors Rodrigo Ashiuchi (PL), of Suzano, Rogério Lins (Podemos), of Osasco, and Orlando Morando (no party), of São Bernardo do Campo, respectively assumed the secretariats of Green and Environment, Sports and Urban Security . Luiz Fernando Machado (PL), who ended his term in Jundiaí, is being considered for the Secretariat of Privatization and Partnerships.
Ashiuchi, who led Suzano until December, implemented a PPP to transform waste into energy and was vice-president of the Metropolitan Region Development Council. Lins governed Osasco for 2 terms and has experience in municipal sports management since 2004. Morando arrives after 8 years as mayor of São Bernardo, where he expanded the Municipal Guard to the 2nd largest in the State.
Almost an hour later than expected, Nunes arrived at , in the central region of São Paulo, accompanied by his wife Regina, to whom he dedicated the first minutes of his speech. “Regina has been, for me, a great support in all my daily battles”said the mayor.
Nunes’ new secretariat also includes names such as Édson Aparecido, who will take over the Municipal Government Secretariat, Enrico Misasi, who will coordinate the Civil House, and Eunice Prudente, who will command the Justice Secretariat. At the Treasury, Luis Felipe Vidal Arellano will be responsible for municipal accounts, while Marcos Monteiro takes over Urban Infrastructure and Works.
The social area will have Luiz Carlos Zamarco in Health and Eliana Gomes in Social Assistance and Development. The mobility sector will be under the command of Celso Caldeira (Transport) and Gilmar Pereira Miranda (Mobility and Traffic).
Completing the 1st level are Fernando Padula (Education), Totó Parente (Culture and Creative Economy), Sidney Cruz (Housing), Rodrigo Goulart (Economic Development), Fabrício Cobra (Subprefectures), Silvia Grecco (Person with Disabilities), Regina Santana (Rights Humans), Bete França (Urbanism), Milton Vieira (Innovation), Angela Gandra (International Relations), Marcela Arruda (Management) and Rui Alves (Tourism).
Among the authorities present at the ceremony was former mayor Gilberto Kassab, current state secretary of Institutional Relations, whom Nunes thanked especially for his support since the beginning of his administration, after the death of Bruno Covas (1980-2021).
Governor sends video message
Although absent from the ceremony, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas participated in the event through a video message. In his speech, he highlighted the achievements of Nunes’ first term and promised to maintain the partnership between the State and the municipality.
“You had a great first term, delivered a lot of work, accomplished a lot, made a difference”said Tarcísio. The governor assured support in strategic areas such as urban mobility, basic sanitation, education, health and social development. “We will be partners […]. I am sure that these next 4 years will be the best in the history of São Paulo”said the head of the state Executive.
The ceremony featured a performance by the Heliópolis Orchestra of the Bacarelli Institute, conducted by maestro Edilson Peitorelli, and the performance of the National Anthem. In a short speech, Nunes repeatedly spoke about his commitment to the city’s outskirts.
“This mayor’s heart has an address and it is the outskirts of São Paulo. Because the more we do in the periphery, the more we do for the entire city”he declared. “I still live in the extreme south of the south zone of São Paulo. On my journey I know what the pain is of a mother who does not have access to a public service, who does not have access to healthcare, who does not have access to education”.
The mayor criticized previous administrations which, according to him, were technically competent but distant from the population. “At that time, perhaps very competent people, who held very important positions, went home every day with a feeling of accomplishment. But it wasn’t enough for us there in the extreme south of the south zone”, declared.
In his speech to the new secretaries, Nunes asked them to maintain the focus on the most vulnerable areas of the city. “I hope that every day, every night you think: ‘Which Ricardo did I abandon today? How can I rescue him?’”he declared.
