“Number 3” of the MJ is dismissed shortly before Lula announces new minister

The deputy executive secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Diego Galdino de Araújo, was dismissed from his position this Thursday (11) a few hours before President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) announced who should be the new minister of the portfolio.

The expectation is that the announcement will take place around lunchtime, shortly after a meeting he will have with Flávio Dino and the retired STF minister, Ricardo Lewandowski, the most likely to take over the position.

Galdino is appointed as the ministry’s “number 3” and the right-hand man of Ricardo Cappelli, the department’s executive secretary who was also tipped to take command. Galdino’s dismissal was published in the Official Gazette of the Union (see in full) without mentioning whether it was at the request or on the initiative of the ministry.

The dismissal was signed by Minister Rui Costa, from the Civil House, and opens space for the future minister to nominate his own names to assume positions considered important, as was discussed among allies of Lula and Lewandowski. According to behind-the-scenes information, the retired STF minister would accept the president’s invitation as long as he could make his own nominations.

The question in confirming Lewandowski in the position was what to do with Cappelli, who had shown interest in continuing in the position of “number 2” in the department.

Lewandowski’s name began to circulate with force last year after the confirmation of Dino’s appointment to the STF, including having traveled with Lula to the Middle East.

However, Cappelli also gained prominence for commanding, among other operations, the federal intervention in public security in the Federal District during the events of January 8, 2023 – he was one of Dino’s favorite names to take over the portfolio.