Named with the task of improving the image of the President (), the holder of Secom (Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency), has expanded his power since arrived at the Planalto Palace in January.
In addition to the condition of one of the president’s main counselors, Sidonio has been cast for the management of successive crises. From economic topics to scandals, such as the discount without, the publicist has sought to anticipate the President strategies to alleviate the repercussions on the news, even influenced their own government decisions.
It is rare that Sidônio is not at the first time of the president’s official agenda, as well as attending meetings at the Alvorada Palace, even during weekends and holiday.
As soon as he assumed, Sidonio was one of the most emphatic advocates of the revocation of the road norm that exceeded R $ 5,000 per month. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad (PT) was defeated from the meeting in which Lula decided for the retreat.
Even before arriving at the government, the publicist acted in the production and conception of the fiscal adjustment, including in the message the income tax exemption for those who receive up to R $ 5,000 monthly in November. This is also the default of the Minister of Finance.
Although the inclusion of the proposal caused shaking in the market, with devaluation of the Brazilian currency and falls in the stock market, Sidonius has expanded his influence, being triggered at critical times.
This is what happened on Wednesday (23), when the then president of the (National Institute of Social Security), was dismissed after the outbreak of the operation of to combat a national scheme of discounts not authorized in retirement and pensions.
Recruited by the President, Sidonius Emergency Meeting with Ministers. To the Ministers of Justice, of the Comptroller General of the Union, Vinicius Marques de Carvalho, the Social Security, Carlos Lupi, and the superintendent of Andrei Rodrigues, the publicist recommended that they showed that the operation was an initiative of the government in order to protect the beneficiaries of the INSS.
Sidônio also suggested that the associations under investigation were accredited in the management of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and were investigated. Another suggestion was to highlight the decision of the government to seek compensation to the victims of the scheme.
Also according to reports, Sidonio would have adventured the possibility of Lupi (PDT) dismissing the former president of the INSS, already during the press conference. Lupi even said, however, that he did not intend to fire him. The minister stated that the then INSS chief was an exemplary server and should not “be burned at the fire” without knowing before what he was being accused, which he said he was unaware of as well.
Lupi’s resistance displeased a government wing, but not to the point of leading to the resignation of the minister. This Thursday (25), Sidônio coordinated the convening of a collective, this time within the Planalto Palace, to announce that all, in a return plan that will still be presented by the federal government.
According to government members, the strategy is to maintain control of the narrative of the case, bringing into the palace the protagonism of the defense of retirees and pensioners. Another guidance from Sidonian was to show that the number of affected represents a portion of the universe of beneficiaries. The Ministry of Social Security summit did not participate in the organization of the collective.
Prior to the current crisis, the government was unable to reverse the negative impact on its popularity due to high prices. In February, Sidonio participated in an operation to try to quickly reverse the fear that the measure ended up feeding one to the executive.
But the measures did not stop the reflexes, according to the government assessment. President’s allies also fear that Sidonian’s involvement in strategic decisions leaves measures inherent to Secom, such as bidding planning for digital communication. According to government projections, competition should only be launched in November.
