Fiesp president refuses Lula’s invitation to lead the ministry

The president of Fiesp (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo), Josué Gomes, declined an invitation to head the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) in the Lula government.

Invited this Wednesday (14) by the president-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), Josué had asked for time to think.

According to petistas, he declined. Josué traveled this Friday (16) to the United States, where he will spend the end of year festivities. He will only return to Brazil on January 6, after Lula takes office.

Before traveling, Josué informed his decision to the graduated president. Son of José Alencar, who was Lula’s deputy, Josué had already given signs that this would be his answer.

According to the businessman’s interlocutors, he had alleged difficulties in defining a successor in charge of his companies, especially abroad.

Petistas were betting, however, on the power of persuasion of the elected president. In conversations, Lula usually exalts the relationship with the businessman’s father.

Despite this, Josué had been remembering that part of his companies have connections with the public administration. He is president of Coteminas, which has loans with BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development).

He has been at the head of Fiesp since the beginning of 2022 – his mandate runs until 2025. In recent months, he has been under pressure from unions that make up the entity, dissatisfied with his management. This Thursday (15), Josué published a call for an extraordinary general meeting to be held on January 16.

Before the meeting with Lula, he had already been contacted twice by the PT’s interlocutors. He was also probed for runner-up on the ticket, before the articulation that led to the choice of Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) for the role.