The inauguration of new ministers in the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will open 13 vacancies – eight for deputies and five for senators – in the National Congress in the next legislature. As incumbents can take leave of office to exercise the role of Minister of State, they will take office as parliamentarians on February 1st and then will formalize the license of their Legislative Houses and thus open the way for alternates to temporarily assume the vacancies.
In the Senate, Margareth Buzetti (PSD-MT), should take over Carlos Fávaro’s (PSD-MT) vacancy in the coming days. He commands the Agriculture portfolio and as he still has four years in his term, he will be the only parliamentarian who will not need to take office. Buzetti replaced Fávaro for four months last year and, therefore, will only resume the post in the coming days. She was elected Fávaro’s 1st alternate after Mato Grosso had a supplementary election in 2020, motivated by the impeachment of judge Selma Arruda. Margareth Buzetti, 63 years old, is a businesswoman, president of the Association of Companies of the Industrial District of Cuiabá (Aedic) and of the Brazilian Association of the Tire Retreading Segment. She is from Concordia (SC) and supported President Jair Bolsonaro in the last election.
Among the senators elected in the last election, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino (PSB-MA), will give way to Ana Paula Lobato (PSB-MA). The alternate is mayor of the municipality of Pinheiro (MA). Ana Paula, 38 years old, is a nurse and president of the Group of Wives of Deputies of the State of Maranhão (Gedema).
For the vacancy of Renan Filho (MDB-AL), current Minister of Transport, Fernando Farias (MDB-AL) will go. Born in Maceió (AL), Farias, 70 years old, is a businessman and CEO of Grupo Lyra (Usina Caeté). He was responsible for the second largest donation to Renan Filho’s campaign, with R$ 350,000.
In place of Camilo Santana (PT-CE), Minister of Education, will Augusta Brito (PT-CE). Born in Fortaleza (CE), she is 46 years old and was mayor of the city of Graça, in the interior of Ceará, during two terms (2004 and 2008). She is the daughter of Augusto Brito, also a former mayor of the municipality. The future senator was elected state deputy in 2022.
The last open seat in the Senate, starting in February, will be for the Minister of Social Development, Wellington Dias (PT-PI). In the House, he will be replaced by Jussara Lima (PT-PI). Born in Fronteiras, in the south of Piauí, she is 62 years old and has a degree in sociology from the Catholic University of Pernambuco. Between 1989 and 1992, she was councilor for Fronteiras. In 2011 she was elected, in a supplementary election, the first woman deputy mayor of the municipality, on the ticket of then mayor Eudes Agripino Ribeiro (PPS).
Chamber of Deputies
In the Chamber of Deputies, the departures of Alexandre Padilha (PT-SP), Minister of Institutional Relations, Paulo Teixeira (PT-SP), Minister of Agrarian Development, and Luiz Marinho (PT-SP), who assumed the do Trabalho will be occupied by Orlando Silva (PcdoB-SP), Alfredinho (PT-SP) and Vicentinho (PT-SP). Born in Salvador (BA), Orlando Silva, 51 years old, has been a federal deputy since 2015. He was Minister of Sports in the Lula and Dilma Rousseff governments, between 2006 and 2011, and councilor of São Paulo from 2013 to 2015.
Alfredinho, 63 years old, is from Oeiras (PI) and was elected councilor of São Paulo for the fourth time in 2020. In the City Council, he was leader of the party and member of the Commission for the Defense of the Rights of Children, Adolescents and Youth and Public Administration.
