Brazilian President Swears in Three New Ministers

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva swore in three new ministers on Wednesday,  in a private ceremony held at the Planalto Palace, seat of government.

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The new cabinet members, federal deputies André Fufuca, of the Progressive Party (PP), and Silvio Costa Filho, of the Republican Party, assumed the posts of Minister of Sports and Minister of Ports and Airports, respectively.

Fufuca took over from former volleyball champion Ana Moser, while Costa Filho succeeds Márcio Franca, a member of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB). Franca, in turn, took over the new Ministry of Entrepreneurship, Microenterprise and Small Business.

The appointments mark an important step with the inclusion in the ministerial cabinet of the PP and the Republicans, the latter led by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, who was also present at the ceremony.

The tweet reads, "Today, in my office, I swore in our government's new ministers André Fufuca and Silvio Costa Filho. The Sports and Ports and Airports portfolios will continue to do a great job. Márcio França has taken office and will be our Minister for Entrepreneurship, Micro-enterprise and Small Business."

These political forces have two of the most important parliamentary benches in the Chamber, and their inclusion in the government reinforces the Executive's quest to consolidate a solid support base for the approval of key projects.

The new ministers' inauguration confirmed the first ministerial reform of Lula da Silva's government after a negotiation process that lasted more than two months.

Thus, 11 parties are now part of the Government's base, with more than 300 deputies out of a total of 513 in the Chamber.