SAO PAULO, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Brazil's president completed Friday his sweeping Cabinet reforms that included the creation of new ministries.
The changes ordered by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were more than a month in coming and had many ministers worried about the fate and analysts guessing which ministers would be getting the ax.
Lula had been promising ministerial reform since December 2003. However, it was delayed several times before he insisted it would be concluded by the end of this week when he departs for trips to India and Switzerland.
The president took his time making his decision, choosing his new ministers from a number of parties. The choices were largely seen as an effort by Lula to better position his administration for his ambitious reform agenda.
While Lula rounded out last year by successfully pushing through the Congress Social Security and tax reforms, he will need a more diversified Cabinet to win additional reforms -- like proposed changes Brazil's judiciary -- in a divided Congress.
Delays in his decision making were also attributed to Lula's strong sense of personal loyalty, as many of the ministers were hand-picked by the president.
"I did not think that it would be so difficult," said the president. "The worst part of government is that you have to dismiss you friends."
In all, six lawmakers received ministerial posts, while three other ministers were moved to different ministries.
For weeks, popular speculation focused on Lula's agreement with the moderate Democratic Movement Party, known locally as the PMDB, to give them two ministerial positions.
Lula's left-wing Workers' Party relied heavily on the PMDB to push through Congress last year's reform. In exchange for their votes, PMDB leaders demanded greater representation in Lula's Cabinet.
Two leaders among their ranks were given ministry positions. Eunicio Oliveira became the minister of communications while Amir Lando became the head of Brazil's Welfare Ministry.
The other changes caught some leaders by surprise.
Lula telephoned the former Education Minister Cristovam Buarque, who is vacationing in Portugal, with news of his dismissal. Buarque said the manner in which he was dismissed showed the government's "disregard" for his services.
He was scheduled to join Lula on his travels to India and Switzerland, but will now be replaced by his successor to the post, Tarso Genro.
One change that seemed imminent leading up to Lula's final roll call of new ministers was his decision to cut loose Roberto Amaral, Brazil's science and technology minister.
Amaral and Lula appeared to have diverging views since day one. His was the first dismissal reported by the Lula administration Wednesday night.
The now ex-minister was known for his controversial stance on Brazil's nuclear energy program and in December denounced the International Atomic Energy Agency's insistence that Brazil submit to spot checks. He also said early in 2003 that Brazil should consider exploring the use of nuclear energy for military use. Lula had to then convince the international community that Brazil was still indeed against nuclear arms.
His replacement, Eduardo Campos, said the president ask him to create "an alliance of the political and the technical."
Amid the changes, Lula also created additional ministries. The new Ministry of Political Articulation will be headed up by Aldo Rebelo.
The largest addition was the president's new "superministry" of Social Services, headed up by Patrus Ananias. It will serve as a governing umbrella group for Brazil's social policies.
