Lula’s team articulates reviewing the structure of ministries, autarchies and secretariats

In charge of the transitional cabinet, the remodeling of the first echelon of the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government opens debate on the future of government structures.

Many of them are concentrated today in the robust Ministry of Economy, but other discussions in progress go through 10 other ministries, such as Agriculture, Development, Culture, Communications, Environment and Foreign Affairs.

The EBC (Empresa Brasileira de Comunicação), the Apex (Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments) and the BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development) are traditionally among the coveted autarchies.

Its fate will depend on a final word from the president-elect.

Under Lula, however, a new object of dispute arises: the Solidarity Economy Secretariat. Conceived to promote policies aimed at workers on application platforms, such as drivers and couriers, the body should be highlighted in the PT government.

In the transitional cabinet, the EBC has been contested by three different working groups: Culture, Communications and Social Communication.

One group argues that it should become linked to the Ministry of Culture, a proposal already debated, and discarded, in the setting up of the first Lula government. According to the proposal, the model would be inspired by the BBC, in London. Controversial, the suggestion is not yet included in the first report of the culture sector.

A team dedicated to Communication recommends ministry status to Secom, having the EBC under its umbrella. Collaborators of Lula propose, however, the strengthening of the Ministry of Communications, including EBC in its structure.

In this more robust configuration, the ministry could be commanded by the mayor of Araraquara, Edinho Silva, one of the communication coordinators of Lula’s campaign.

Another coordinator of the PT’s campaign, deputy Rui Falcão, is cited for Secom. In the transition cabinet, there is even a suggestion of the name of journalist Kennedy Alencar.

Apex, in turn, may be kept at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or go to the Ministry of Development, depending on the power of the holder of each of these folders.

The BNDES could be subordinated to Planning or Development, according to the configuration to be defined by the government.

A dispute about to come to light refers to the creation of a ministry to fight hunger, which would be the result of a split from the Ministry of Agriculture, including Incra and the sector dedicated to family farming.

A member of the Agriculture group, senator Kátia Abreu states, for example, that for the definition of public policies on agriculture there should not be two ministries. This is not the opinion of representatives of social movements, Lula’s base of support.

The senator also says that “no one wants Fisheries to leave the Ministry of Agriculture”. The senator’s statement was refuted by former Fisheries Minister Altemir Gregolin.

“It’s a personal opinion of former minister Kátia Abreu, but we totally disagree. We defend the ministry, I was a minister for five years. We know the sector, the complexity, the potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector and see a ministry as strategic to develop the great potential that Brazil has”, he said.

According to him, if Fishing were kept in the structure of Agriculture, there would be difficulties. “There, this sector competes with large chains, with powerful chains, such as beef, pork, soy, corn. Budget dispute, priority dispute.”

“There are some divergent opinions, for example, from the more business sector, which would like to be in the Ministry of Agriculture, which identifies more with agro, because there is a regulatory space, but it is not a hegemonic position.”

Another autarchy in dispute between working groups in the transition is the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA), currently linked to the Ministry of Regional Development.

The Environment group, however, pleads for the autarchy. It could also be incorporated into the organization chart of the Ministry of Cities. According to members of the transitional cabinet, the final word will rest with Lula.

In the case of the Solidarity Economy Secretariat, even before making his candidacy official, Lula had been defending legislation that guarantees the rights of application platform workers.

In January, Lula spoke at the opening and closing of a meeting in which representatives of the Spanish government presented a “counter-reform” being implemented in that country.

In Spain, the government, businessmen and workers are discussing the review of the 2012 labor reform, which, five years later, would serve as an inspiration for Brazil.

A first-time ally, the PC do B advocates that the secretariat be subordinated to the Ministry of Labour, a folder to be recreated and for which they defend a party name. Members of the union movement also propose that it be linked to the Ministry of Labor.

In the PT’s first term, the Solidarity Economy Secretariat was created and housed within the structure of the Ministry of Labor.

Now, another wing suggests that it be linked to the General Secretariat of the Presidency, directly linked to the Planalto Palace. Full-bodied, the General Secretariat could be led by someone trusted by Lula, such as the campaign treasurer, federal deputy Márcio Macedo (PT-SE).

Macedo’s name had been discarded for Lula’s Ministry on the hypothesis that he would succeed Gleisi Hoffmann (PR) in the PT presidency. But she will continue at the head of the party, as Lula confirmed last week.

With that, Macedo’s name gains strength to integrate the core of the PT government. Another name quoted for the position is lawyer Marco Aurélio Carvalho, who has the support of representatives of social movements.

In this organization chart, the General Secretariat would be in charge of defining policies for these workers.

Last week, the proposal for the creation of a ministry exclusively for these workers also grew, identified as the largest category in the country. According to Lula’s allies, its creation could be a milestone in the PT’s third term.

This Monday (5th), Gleisi met with representatives of the Social Participation Council, which intends to promote dialogue and interlocution with civil society organizations and representations of union and popular movements during the transition.

The parliamentarian heard from those present the suggestion that public policies related to social participation remain under the umbrella of the General Secretariat of the Presidency.

“We are working very hard to make popular participation a priority for the Lula government. Hence the importance of this issue being under the responsibility of a portfolio such as the General Secretary of the Presidency”, says Raimundo Bonfim, leader of the Central de Movimentos Populares (CMP). .