BRASILIA, 22 Jan (Reuters) – Finance Minister Fernando Haddad wants to define with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva the appointment of his executive secretary, Dario Durigan, as head of the ministry after his departure from office, scheduled for the next few weeks, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.
For the position of number two in the portfolio to be left by Durigan, Haddad is considering appointing the current secretary of the National Treasury, Rogério Ceron, the sources added, in a design that would indicate continuity of the management adopted so far in the ministry.
According to them, the minister is still discussing who would command the Treasury, if this scenario is confirmed. The two sources stated that this definition has not been made so far.
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The sources emphasized that the final decision on the appointments will be made by President Lula, who has debated the issue and listened to the minister.
When contacted by Reuters, the Ministry of Finance said it would not comment.
Haddad stated last week that he intends to leave his position in January, but so far there has been no announced date for his departure.
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One factor that could delay the plans would be Haddad’s eventual need to travel to India, between February 19 and 21, with Lula. A third source said that the department has not yet received a summons from the minister by Palácio do Planalto for the trip.
Responsible for interlocution between secretariats and organization of the work of the Treasury, Durigan played an important role in the negotiations of economic measures with Congress in the executive secretariat, and also became close to President Lula.
Haddad has stated that after leaving the Treasury he would like to collaborate with the campaign for the re-election of the PT president, but his name is defended among allies for the Senate or the government of São Paulo.
This week, Haddad said he started talking to the president about his role in this year’s elections, but that the two have not yet reached a consensus.
