The minister (PSOL) took office at the General Secretariat of the Presidency in a ceremony this Wednesday (29), in Brasília, and asked for a minute of silence for the victims of the mega-operation against the Comando Vermelho faction, in Rio de Janeiro, which left more than a hundred dead the previous day.
“We have all been following what happened in Rio de Janeiro since yesterday and that is why, before talking about this moment, about the work I intend to do at the General Secretariat. I would like to ask that we all observe a minute of silence for all the victims of this operation in Rio de Janeiro. Police officers, residents, all of them”
Boulos also mentioned the origins of organized crime, with direct criticism of the financial market.
“He is a president who knows that the head of organized crime in this country is not in a shack in a favela. He is often involved in money laundering in Faria Lima. President Lula gave me the mission as minister of the general secretariat to help in this final stretch of his third term to put the government on the streets”, he said.
The possibility of postponing the event was discussed among members of the government (PT), given the concern that a solemnity with a festive tone would take place the day after the operation that became the action. According to official figures from the state government earlier this afternoon, the action left at least 119 people dead. The idea of postponing, however, was not taken forward.
Lula’s allies stated that it would be an opportunity for the President of the Republic to take a position on the operation, at a time when the opposition is using the operation to attack the federal administration and — the PT member.
The operation The governor carried out in public security, while members of the Planalto saw Castro’s opportunistic and electoral motivation and refuted information that the Executive had been contacted with requests for help for action.
There is an assessment among Lula’s allies that the governor of Rio de Janeiro is trying to transfer responsibility for his management of the mega-operation to the Executive. They also see it as an attempt to damage the image of the PT government in public security — an area in which the Lula 3 administration has not yet shown great results and which is the target of criticism from PT opponents. The topic of public security should be one of the main ones to be explored in the 2026 elections.
This Wednesday’s ceremony brought together the President of the Republic, members of the PT Esplanada, representatives of trade unions, social movements and civil society, as well as parliamentarians, at the Palácio do Planalto.
At least 17 federal government ministers were present, including Fernando Haddad (Finance), Alexandre Silveira (Mines and Energy), Mauro Vieira (Foreign Affairs), Marina Silva (Environment) and Simone Tebet (Planning), as well as the vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin.
Minister Gilmar Mendes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), arrived at the hall where the inauguration would take place alongside the minister of the AGU (Attorney General of the Union), Jorge Messias, who should be nominated by Lula for a vacancy in the Supreme Court. Also present were former mayor Martha Suplicy, who was Boulos’s vice-president on the São Paulo Mayor’s ticket in 2024, and Father Júlio Lancellotti.
Parliamentarians, mainly from left-wing parties, but deputies João Bacelar (PL-SP) and Antonio Brito (PSD-BA), as well as senator Giordano (MDB-SP), also attended the event. Presidents of parties from the allied base were also at the event, such as Edinho Silva (PT), Carlos Lupi (PDT) and Paula Coradi (PSOL).
Meanwhile, ministers Ricardo Lewandowski (Justice) and Macaé Evaristo (Human Rights), as well as the director general of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues, went to Rio to deal with the issue of the operation in Rio. Initially, minister Anielle Franco (Racial Equality) would also go to the state, but stayed in Brasília for the inauguration.
Boulos takes over, who had been criticized for his performance at the head of the department. The choice of Boulos for the position aims to enhance the Executive’s dialogue with social movements, revive the social base, especially youth, and win. The psolist is a member of the (Homeless Workers Movement) and acted directly in demonstrations promoted by the left this year.
Members of the (Landless Rural Workers Movement) also attended the event. , Boulos’ appointment generated concern about the possible hegemony of the MTST in the structure of the department — in addition to the positions themselves, the positions help to influence the definition of policies that contemplate the projects and causes of one movement or another.
Members of the MST told the reporter that it is necessary to strengthen Boulos’ management, given the proximity of the presidential elections. There is an assessment that if the minister’s performance is not successful, this could hinder Lula’s re-election.
According to members of the federal government, Boulos received instructions from the President of the Republic to travel throughout the country on agendas. He should also focus on approaching social movements on the outskirts. The federal deputy has already informed his party, , that he should not run for re-election next year to work directly in Lula’s campaign — in 2022, he obtained , being the most voted in the Chamber of Deputies.
Without Boulos on the ticket, while PT members devise a strategy to win back supporters who migrated to PSOL, especially in the outskirts.
With the change announced by Lula, Boulos becomes PSOL’s second minister. In addition, she is minister (Indigenous Peoples), federal deputy licensed by the acronym.
With the change of Macêdo, since he assumed his third term.
