10 Brazilian Ministers Step
Down To Run For General Elections
RIO DE JANEIRO - Ten Brazilian ministers on
Wednesday quit their posts to join this
year's general elections.
Under Brazil's electoral law, the deadline
for departure from government positions is
April 3, six months before the elections.
The most notable departing minister is Dilma
Rousseff, who was handpicked by President
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as his successor.
Rousseff's executive secretary Erenice Alves
Guerra took over the presidency
chief-of-staff post. Six other ministerial
portfolios were also taken by executive
secretaries in an effort to maintain
continuity of the Lula administration.
These six ministries were transport, mines
and energy, racial equality, environment,
national integration and social security.
The ministers of agriculture, social
development, and communications were taken
over by outsiders.
Henrique Meirelles, governor of Brazil's
central bank, was asked by the president to
remain and had one day to decide whether to
resign to join the election campaign.
To be contested in this year's elections are
the presidency of the republic, all chamber
of deputies seats, 54 of the federal senate
seats, all the 26 state governorships and
state legislatures. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
