Lula negotiates Caixa and Funasa and block exchanges with centrão – 07/11/2023 – Politics

After pressure from members of the centrão for more spaces in the government, President Lula (PT) gave an endorsement for allies to negotiate positions with the PP and Republicans in the first echelon and also bodies such as Caixa Econômica Federal and Funasa (National Health Foundation).

The president’s idea, according to members of the Planalto Palace, is to articulate functions with parliamentarians in a block, that is, jointly, so that a nomination can contemplate a political group, and not just a party.

The assessment of members of the government and the centrão is that a broad negotiation of positions will have more effect on the formation of Lula’s parliamentary base than specific exchanges on the Esplanada.

The only certainty that exists for now among assistants close to the PT is that PP and Republican deputies have asked and the president is willing to offer them two ministries, but the positions that will be offered are not closed.

If Lula drags out the negotiation, that should frustrate a wing of the centrão. Deputies allied with the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), expected that the ministerial exchanges would begin to take place between this and next week, when the main leaders of the parliamentary bloc should return to Brasília. But members of the government indicate that Lula does not intend to resolve the issue with that speed.

In a live this Tuesday (11), Lula even mentioned the two parties by name when dealing with negotiations with parties and when mentioning subtitles with whom he maintains dialogue.

As shown to Sheet, the signal that these parties could occupy the top echelon of government was given at the end of last week to leaders of the centrão and was crucial to unblock the vote on the Carf (Administrative Council of Treasury Resources) project, considered a priority matter on the economic agenda from the government. Lira had threatened to leave that vote for August.

Deputies André Fufuca (PP-MA) and Silvio Costa Filho (Republicans-PE) are the names appointed to occupy ministries – two parliamentarians close to Lira. As shown to Sheetthe center targets the Ministry of Social Development, currently headed by Wellington Dias (PT), and the Ministry of Sports, headed by Ana Moser.

In addition, he also aims to command state-owned companies such as Caixa, Funasa, Embratur and Correios. Ministers close to Lula, however, claim that the hammer on the positions to be offered has not been beaten and that the president will not make a hasty decision. The expectation is that he will use the parliamentary recess to negotiate the exchanges. In the case of Funasa, for example, it is still necessary to define how the body’s structure will be.

In the midst of pressure from the centrão, Lula’s allies and the first lady, Rosângela da Silva, Janja, have sent messages for the Planalto to shield the Ministry of Social Development, which takes care of Bolsa Família. The president assesses that Wellington Dias has performed poorly as minister, but has resisted giving up the portfolio responsible for the PT’s main social showcase.

Two ministers consider it difficult for the president to hand over the portfolio, even more so to the PP, commanded by Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), Wellington’s opponent in the state.

There is a perception among government supporters that it will be necessary to cut posts from the PT itself and among the possibilities of arrangements, Lula’s allies do not even rule out that Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) could be reassigned from the Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce.

Questioned about the pressure for a broad ministerial reform, Lula said on Thursday (6) that “it is not the person who wants to come to the government who chooses the position, the government chooses the position.”

The government also resists giving in to Embratur, linked to the Ministry of Tourism, which will be led by Deputy Celso Sabino (União Brasil-PA), in place of Deputy Daniela do Waguinho (União Brasil-RJ), who asked to disaffiliate of the party. The state-owned company is commanded by Marcelo Freixo (PT), a close ally of Lula.

In place of Embratur, Lula endorsed the negotiation of other state-owned companies. In the case of Caixa, the president of the institution, Rita Serrano, has been the target of criticism from the government and from the PT itself, and therefore allies of the representative assess that it should be easier to give up command of the bank.

The most cited name to replace her is Gilberto Occhi (PP), who was Minister of Cities in the Dilma Rousseff (PT) government and former president of Caixa. The bank is responsible for making payments on the Bolsa Família installments and also for releasing financing for Minha Casa, Minha Vida.

Although quoted by allies, the government has not yet sought out the former minister to talk.

In the case of Funasa, there is still discussion about what will become of the organ, but in the Planalto Palace it is already taken for granted that its command will be the result of political appointment.

The foundation, which operates in basic sanitation works in small towns, has historically served as political accommodation. The government planned to extinguish it, but the National Congress decided to recreate it during a vote on the MP (provisional measure) that organized the Esplanada dos Ministérios.

With that, the government needs to regulate it and plans to wipe out the space that the state-owned company previously had.

Funasa had a budget of BRL 3.4 billion in 2022, under the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government, with structures distributed across the 27 units of the Federation.

Centrão parliamentarians who are familiar with the negotiations admit that it is difficult to get the command of the three state-owned companies, but indicate that they can find a compromise. The expectation is that there will be compensations. For example, União Brasil is aiming for Embratur, but it can keep Funasa in its place, since the government does not want to give up Freixo in the agency.

According to reports, Lula expects gestures from the parliamentarians to consolidate political articulation. As much as the Chief Executive cedes ministries, neither PP nor Republicans will officially enter the government. Ciro Nogueira has already said that he will not stop being the opposition.

The president of the Republicans, Marcos Pereira, also says that he will not join the base and has stated that, if Silvio Costa Filho becomes minister, it will be in Lula’s personal quota. Both parties, however, have pro-government wings that have given votes to the government on important matters — which is why Lula endorsed their entry into the government.

The Minister of Sports, Ana Moser, met with Lula for about half an hour in Planalto, this Tuesday. Questioned about the pressure for her portfolio, she said that “it’s part of it”, but that the president gave her a lot of work and some time to fulfill it.

Moser also left the meeting with the mission of making Brazil’s candidacy to host the next tournament official at the Women’s World Cup. She leaves next Monday (17).