President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) told government ministers in a meeting this Wednesday that he has no problems with the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP), and that the Union’s attorney general, Jorge Messias, will still be minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), according to four of the PT’s assistants.
According to reports from these participants, Lula cited Alcolumbre in a quick comment. He would have stated that, on his part, there are no problems with the president of the Senate. The speech was made to government members during part of the meeting that was not broadcast to the press. The president would not have continued on this topic.
The Palácio do Planalto believes that Alcolumbre was responsible for orchestrating the historic defeat of the federal government with the senators’ rejection of Messias’ nomination for a seat in the Supreme Court. Considered a point of governance for Lula 3, Alcolumbre moved away from Planalto after Messias’ appointment. The president of the Senate was upset with the choice, because he defended the name of Rodrigo Pacheco (PSB-MG), one of his main allies.
Still according to reports from people who attended the meeting, Lula made a gesture to the head of the Attorney General’s Office —who was present— stating that he will still be a minister of the Supreme Court. Lula has already publicly stated that he will send Messiah’s name again for analysis in Congress. Allies of the PT member, however, say they are still evaluating the timing of this sending. The assessment is that a conversation between Lula and Alcolumbre is needed to iron out the rough edges.
Despite this, however, interlocutors of the two authorities say that there is still no climate for a meeting between them. Names such as ministers José Guimarães (Secretariat of Institutional Relations) and José Múcio (Defense), in addition to the president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), and the government leader in Congress, senator Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP), have worked to relax the relationship between Planalto and the Senate leadership.
Also according to reports from participants in this Wednesday’s meeting, Guimarães said in his speech that the political coordination of ministers with Congress must always go through the Secretariat of Institutional Relations (SRI) to avoid noise in the negotiations of proposals with parliamentarians.
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Minister Sidônio Palmeira, from the Presidency’s Social Communication Secretariat (Secom), stated that the department is preparing a review campaign, with highlights of federal government works and projects in each state of the country. The expectation is that different pieces will be prepared for each unit of the federation to be published on television and on the networks. There is still no set date for them to be released.
According to participants, Lula also said, as he had done on other occasions, that the new ministers who took office in April after the departure of their predecessors who will contest the October election owe loyalty to him and not to the former holders of the portfolios. The speech was interpreted as an attempt to empower the new ministers. According to reports, Lula gave a speech at the end of the meeting in which he motivated the members of his government and demanded commitment and dedication.
This was the second ministerial meeting this year. The first was on March 31 and served to formalize the exchanges on the Esplanada — there were changes in 18 portfolios, with the departure of the incumbents who will contest the elections.
