Lula sets up operation to try to shield the Ministry of Health from Centrão

Despite being in Europe until the end of this week, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) set up an operation with his palace ministers to try to shield the Ministry of Health from the Centrão’s desires. Allies of the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), started to request the command of the portfolio as a way of negotiating support for Lula in the National Congress.

To try to protect the portfolio, Lula appointed the Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, with the intention that he sew an agreement with Lira’s group. In the 2023 budget, for example, Health is the third portfolio with the most money to be spent on expenses: R$ 181.6 billion. The ministry’s budget is second only to Labor and Employment (R$ 956.4 billion) and Development and Social Assistance (R$ 276.4 billion).

The assessment within the Centrão parties is that the ministry led by Nísia Trindade, who is not affiliated with any political party, has “capillarity” and therefore the contributions can be directed to several states and municipalities. Members of the government privately admit that an eventual change in command of the ministry could expand Lula’s support base, mainly in Arthur Lira’s PP.

However, Lula has already indicated to the interlocutors that he does not intend to give in to pressure from Centrão legislators and that Nísia Trindade is a technical name and of his personal choice. This Monday (19), Padilha reinforced the signaling after a meeting with the PT at the Alvorada Palace.

“We want to clearly state that President Lula, at no time, since the assembly of his government, since the choice of ministers, has placed the Ministry of Health as a party quota of any party”, indicated the Minister of Institutional Relations.

Government assesses that Saúde could expand Lira’s negotiating power

At the same time, members of the government admit that a possible change in command of the Ministry of Health could expand Arthur Lira’s powers. In addition to a budget of more than R$180 billion, the portfolio also has almost R$15 billion available for nominations in parliamentary amendments this year alone.

From June 1st to 16th, for example, the portfolio paid more than R$2.4 billion in parliamentary amendments. The vast majority in individual amendments by deputies and senators. The amount refers to amounts actually paid by the ministry, and not to those promised or pledged.

The main indications of the amendments were for a temporary increase in the cost of primary health care services and a temporary increase in the cost of hospital and outpatient care services. Due to this robust budget, Lula’s allies believe that a possible change in command of the folder could expand Lira’s influence with parliamentarians.

In the government’s calculations, such a move could maintain the power of negotiation with the deputies with the president of the Chamber, as was the case with the amendments to the “secret budget”. Therefore, Lula’s allies defend a rapprochement with Lira, but with the condition that the Planalto be responsible for controlling the budget and the release of amendments.

To try to minimize possible wear and tear in the relationship, Minister Alexandre Padilha denied that Lira had made any kind of demand to the government. “I want to be fair with President Arthur Lira. Both for me and for President Lula, at no time did President Arthur Lira claim any ministry, occupy any government ministry. He has to be fair in relation to that”, waved Padilha .

Lula wants more Nísia Trindade exposure in Health actions

On another front, the government will demand more exposure from Minister Nísia Trindade in actions by the Ministry of Health as a way to shield her maintenance in office. The internal assessment is that technical criteria alone will not be enough to guarantee her the position, which is why they demand that she perform more programs that make her popular.

This week, for example, Nísia Trindade used an interview on CNN Brazil to reinforce that she has support from Lula. “What is very important is for us to be aware at this moment: my position is a position of trust for President Lula. It was he and vice president Geraldo Alckmin who were elected. So, it is up to him to decide whether or not to maintain the ministries,” she said.

Despite this, the minister said that political pressure from her ministry was “normal”. “We live, as the political scientist Sérgio Abranches says, a coalition presidentialism. That is, you win the presidential election, but you don’t have a parliamentary majority. So, I think it’s normal, it’s part of politics, pressure games, criticism”, defended Trindade.

Along the same lines, the chief minister of the Social Communication Secretariat (Secom), Paulo Pimenta, from the Lula government, denied a possible replacement of the Minister of Health. “There is no chance, this issue is not on the agenda, we do not intend to make any changes in the Ministry of Health” he told GloboNews.

In addition, Nísia has dedicated one day of her schedule to receiving politicians from the governing, independent and opposition base. The meetings are a way for the minister to receive the demands of parliamentarians and thereby expand support for the government within the National Congress.