Senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN) is the leader of the opposition in the Senate| Photo: Geraldo Magela/Agência Senado

The leader of the Opposition in the Senate, senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), presented a bill that foresees that nominations of Brazilians to the commands of international financial institutions must be evaluated by the Senate. If approved, the nomination of former president Dilma Rousseff for the presidency of the New Development Bank (NBD), known as the “Bank of the Brics”, would have to go through the approval of the senators.

According to the text, approval by the Senate would come by an absolute majority – that is, it would depend on the approval of at least 41 senators. The opposition leader says it is necessary to assess the capabilities of the nominees “beyond the mere appointment of the Executive Branch”. He also claims that the Senate is already analyzing nominations that require attributes similar to those required for the Brics bank.

However, there is still no expectation that Marinho’s project will advance in the National Congress. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) recently confirmed that he intends to nominate the former president to take over the bank in the bloc formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

If he takes over, Dilma will stay in office until 2025 and could strengthen ties between Brazil and China. The Asian country is the biggest creditor of the bank of the Brics. The former president should accompany Lula on a visit to China in March to pave the way for her nomination.

“If it’s up to me, she’ll be [presidente do banco do Brics]. Dilma is an extraordinary figure. If I had not been president and, yes, Dilma’s political minister, what happened would not have happened. I think there was a lack of conversation, of patience, but she is an extraordinary woman, worthy of a lot of respect, and the PT loves her”, said Lula in an interview with CNN Brasil.