The president (PT) confirmed on Thursday (24) the appointment of the president of Telebras, Frederico de Siqueira Filho, to the Ministry of Communications. Fred Siqueira Filho, as he is known in the sector, took office in the president’s office at Planalto Palace in the morning.
Siqueira Filho was nominated by the Senate President, David Alcolumbre (-AP). The minister arrived at the presidency of Telebras at the beginning of the Lula government by nomination of the Senate Union leader, Efraim Filho (PB) – a senators closest to alcohubre.
Congressmen heard by the report state, under reserve, that the now minister is a friend of Efraim and his brother, Paraíba state deputy George Morais (União Brasil).
Despite the political connection with Efraim, Siqueira Filho is described as a technical name of the telecommunications sector. He worked for 21 years at Oi operator and reached the position of Institutional Relations Director, passing by business sales manager to part of the Northeast and Corporate Sales Director of Oi Soluções.
The minister is also a partner of an opened engineering and service company in 2015 and the target of an action that accuses him of misconduct.
According to the Public Prosecution Service of Pernambuco, the municipality of Paulista (PE) hired the company of Siqueira fraudulently to provide services in a municipal school. Prosecutors saw evidence that the bidding dispute was forged and that the company presented exactly the same as that estimated by the Local Education Secretariat.
In addition, Rafael Siqueira, the brother of the future minister, signed commitments in favor of the company. He was Paulista’s secretary of finance at the time. The action says that there was a damage to the public coffers in the amount of R $ 12,900.
The Public Prosecution Service proposed an agreement that provided for the payment of a fine and prohibited Siqueira from assuming commissioned public office – which would prevent him from becoming minister or even president of Telebras,
The defense refused and presented a counter -proposal without this impediment. The action has not yet been closed.
In a statement, the Ministry of Communications said Siqueira Filho “was never convicted in any judicial process and has a full professional trajectory, built mostly in private initiative.” The folder stressed that the action is the only one in the name of the minister, has small value and is in the early stages.
“Convinced of his innocence, Siqueira Filho sees no reason to accept the proposed agreement, even if it is a process of small causes. Fully trusts in the exempt driving of the judiciary and believes that, in the end, the accusation will be recognized as unfair,” the ministry said.
As, Lula beat the hammer by the name of Siqueira Filho in a meeting on Wednesday (23) with Alcolumbre, the leader of União Brasil in the House, Pedro Lucas (MA), former Minister Juscelino Filho and Minister Gleisi Hoffmann (Secretariat of Institutional Relations).
According to reports, Lula asked Siqueira Filho to continue with the work that was being done in the ministry, and gave autonomy to assemble his own team.
The choice occurred after 12 days after being announced as minister by Gleisi. He said he would contribute more to the government as leader of the House bench.
Marked by internal divisions, with an opposition wing and another close to the Federal Government, União Brasil has nominated in charge of two other ministries (Tourism and Regional Development). The acronym is the third largest in the House, with 59 deputies, and the fourth of the Senate, with 7 senators.
Pedro Lucas’s refusal, exposing Planalto difficulties in the political articulation and fragility at the base of support.
Given this impasse, without party affiliation and their trust for the position.
Siqueira Filho replaces, who left the post on April 8 after (Attorney General’s Office) on charges. He denies it.
The new minister is expected to meet the House Party bench after the May 1 holiday. The initiative was well received by deputies heard by the report, for whom there is a sign that the minister intends to maintain a direct relationship – to have not been nominated by the party’s whole in the house.
He embarks to China this Friday (25), in his first international mission as minister. The trip was already scheduled, but as head of Telebras. This trip precedes Lula’s visit to the Asian country.
Connexis, a association that brings together the main operators of the country, congratulated the new minister in a statement and said “hopes to maintain dialogue and joint work for the expansion of connectivity.”
