By Ludmila Cassio
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, now in his fourth term, has widened the list of candidates for the Civil House (Casa Civil), the powerful chief of staff's office in Brasília. Federal deputy Gleisi Hoffmann of the Workers' Party (PT) entered the race after allies pushed her name, according to sources close to the government. The goal, those sources say, is to keep the choice from being read as the first step in picking a presidential successor.
Lula does not want a visible 'anointing'
According to the sources, Lula told allies he does not want the person chosen for the Civil House to be seen as an 'anointing' of his successor. The reading in Brasília is that he wants to steer attention away from a debate that could get in the way of the government's current agenda.
The post is a major one. The Civil House coordinates the actions of the ministries and manages the government's relationship with states and municipalities. It is the nerve center of the federal machine.
Haddad and Camilo Santana: from front-runners to other ministries?
At first, the contest seemed limited to two names: Fernando Haddad and Camilo Santana, both from the PT. Haddad was seen as the preferred option before the elections. Camilo gained strength because he was part of the core of the campaign in the runoff.
After Lula's intervention, the picture opened up. Allies began pointing to Gleisi as a viable option. At the same time, advisers at the Planalto (the presidential palace) are studying how to place Haddad and Camilo in important posts, so that no choice looks like a sign of preference for the presidential succession.
Among the options under review are:
- the Ministry of Public Security, which is waiting for a constitutional amendment proposal (PEC) that expands the federal government's powers in that area to be validated;
- the Ministry of Education, with priorities such as full-time schools and the Pé-de-Meia Universitário program.
Why it matters: the Dilma precedent
The caution has a historical explanation. Dilma Rousseff headed the Civil House from 2005 to 2010 and was chosen by Lula to run for the presidency, later succeeding him. At the time, she gained national prominence by coordinating the works of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC). Lula knows the post works as a showcase and a springboard, and for that reason wants to prevent the new occupant from being treated that way.
What comes next
The final decision is Lula's, and no announcement has been made. Until then, the dispute among Gleisi, Haddad and Camilo is expected to continue behind the scenes, with the Planalto trying to show that no one has been anointed.
VDD Analysis
When the president says he does not want an 'anointing' while preparing consolation posts for the most-mentioned names, it becomes clear that the priority is managing egos inside the PT and the succession, not what the country needs from the Civil House. Brazilians, who pay for the machinery of government, deserve a minister chosen for the ability to deliver results, not for the need to accommodate groups within the party.
With information from Bacci Política.
