Lula fired Rita Serrano as part of an agreement with the president of the Chamber, deputy Arthur Lira (PP-AL), who also did not participate in the event today. The exchange was, in theory, the last part of the agreement between the government and central parties in an effort to increase support in Congress.
The only high-ranking representatives of the government were ministers Luiz Marinho (PT) and André Fufuca (PP), who didn’t even arrive on stage and left the event in the middle, before Vieira spoke. Fufuca took over the portfolio under similar conditions: on the recommendation of Lira, with the dismissal of a well-regarded woman (Ana Moser) and in the absence of allies at the base.
The bank is the main promoter of federal government initiatives and Rita’s work was well evaluated by Planalto, which made Lula hold on to her for a little longer. Now, there is a dispute over the body’s vice-presidencies, which influence local appointments.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Haddad was unable to attend because he was participating in a meeting at Palácio do Planalto with the president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates. He sent the department’s executive secretary, Dario Durigan, to represent him.
Carlos Vieira is a career bank employee. He was previously director-president of Funcef, Caixa’s pension fund, and joined the executive secretariat of the Ministry of National Integration in 2012, when the PP commanded the department.
Serrano was the third high-ranking woman in government to be replaced by a man. Inaugurated today, Lurdinha Lopes, representative of a housing movement, was the only woman on stage. “In the midst of so many men wearing ties”, she noted.
