Lula appoints Macaé Evaristo as Minister of Human Rights, after the dismissal of Silvio Almeida

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva appointed state deputy Macaé Evaristo as the new Minister of Human Rights on Monday, the 9th. The appointment comes after former Minister Silvio Almeida was accused of sexual harassment. The appointment was published in an extra edition of the Official Gazette of the Union (I GIVE) this evening.

Lula’s choice for Macaé was made this afternoon, after a meeting at the Palácio da Alvorada, the official residence of the President of the Republic. The invitation to the deputy was confirmed by the president himself on his social media. “Today, I invited state deputy Macaé Evaristo to take over the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship. She accepted. I will sign her appointment soon. Welcome and keep up the great work,” wrote Lula.

After her appointment was announced, Macaé Evaristo stated on social media that there is a lot of work ahead to be done in the department given the major challenges that Brazil faces in this area. However, she said she remains hopeful and committed to a lifetime of fighting for rights.

The Ministry of Human Rights was under the interim leadership of Esther Dweck, who also held the position of head of the Ministry of Management. She took over both roles after Silvio Almeida was fired on Friday, the 6th.

The choice of Macaé was a way for the government to put an end to the sexual harassment allegations against then-minister Silvio Almeida. Placing a black woman in the position is a response to the damage suffered by Lula’s administration in recent days due to the accusations. In addition, it reduces the pressure on the PT member for the lack of women in the top echelons.

On Friday, after the allegations against Silvio Almeida became public, the then minister was called to the Planalto Palace to provide clarification to other government ministers. Among the alleged victims of harassment was the Minister of Racial Equality, Anielle Franco. The minister did not confirm having suffered the violence.

In a meeting with Lula on Friday, the then minister refused to resign from his position and the president dismissed him. After the dismissal, Anielle Franco released a statement praising the decision and saying that she would like to have the right to preserve her privacy and not discuss the matter publicly. She also said that she intends to contribute to the investigation.

The same edition of the DOU with Macaé’s appointment also includes the publication of Anielle’s vacation. According to the publication, the minister will be on vacation between September 9 and 13.