Lula chooses PT candidate Wellington Dias for ministry claimed by Tebet

The president-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), chose Senator Wellington Dias to head the Ministry of Social Development, leaving out Senator Simone Tebet (MDB-MS), who was applying for the portfolio.

The MDB was not notified of the decision. Third in the presidential race, with 4.2% of the votes, Tebet was engaged in Lula’s campaign during the second round.

PT supporters attribute to her an important role in attracting centrist votes for Lula’s election.

Appointing her to a ministry would also be a way of doing justice to the so-called broad front that Lula says he wants to form during his administration.

On Monday (19), Tebet spoke with the president of the PT, deputy Gleisi Hoffmann (PR), and reaffirmed his will to lead the Ministry of Social Development.

The senator, however, heard that the PT wanted to command the portfolio. Gleisi’s justification was that the new government was elected with the motto of combating hunger and could not do without the ministry that will be key in this area. Social Development will be responsible, among other policies, for recreating Bolsa Família.

In the same conversation, Gleisi asked if Tebet would like to head the Environment, but the senator declined, as she would not like to confront Marina Silva (Rede-AP), the main candidate for the portfolio. Marina and Tebet campaigned for Lula together in the second round.

There is an expectation that Lula will meet with members of the Network and the MDB to define not only the situation of Tebet, but also that of Marina —who, in turn, was elected federal deputy for São Paulo, was at COP27 with the president elected and already headed the portfolio in the first PT administration, but faces resistance within the party.

Wellington Dias was twice governor of Piauí and elected senator this year.

Also awaiting the announcement is Nísia Trindade, in Health, Anielle Franco, in Racial Equality, Silvio Almeida, in Human Rights.