Lula minimizes criticism and says that Padilha will stay in office “just out of stubbornness”

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) minimized criticism against the Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, responsible for the government’s political articulation. The president said that “there is no one better” than Padilha to deal with Congress and highlighted that he will remain in office for a long time “just out of stubbornness.”

Lula spoke this Friday (12) during the inauguration of the new headquarters of the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea), in São Paulo. “Padilha is in a position that seems to be the best in the world for the first six months. And then it starts to be a very difficult position. Because in the first six months, it’s like a marriage, in the first months of marriage everything is wonderful,” he said the president.

Lula jokingly stated that Padilha is in the “demanding phase” of the marriage. The Chief Executive highlighted that in his previous governments he said that this is the type of ministry that changes command “every six months”.

“But just because of his stubbornness, Padilha will stay in this ministry for a long time, because there is no one better prepared to deal with diversity within the National Congress than comrade Padilha”, added Lula. The minister was present at the event. The vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), and the ministers of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, and Finance, Fernando Haddad, also participated in the ceremony.

This Thursday (11), the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), said that Padilha is a “personal dislike” and called him “incompetent”. Lula did not mention the deputy during his speech at the Anfavea event.

Earlier, the minister refuted the accusations this Friday and said he would not “go down to Lira’s level”. This afternoon, the Workers’ Party (PT) also defended the minister. The party stated, in a statement, that Lira “offends the harmony between the Powers of the Republic” by criticizing Padilha.