MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula to announce some of his future ministers Friday

Former Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira (L) is expected to return to the Itamaraty Palace

Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva is expected to announce some of the names that will make up his cabinet once he takes office on Jan. 1 on Friday just before the quarterfinal football match between the South American country's national team and that of Croatia at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

 Ironically, although it remains to be confirmed, Brazil's current ambassador to Croatia Mauro Vieira is the likeliest candidate to be once again appointed as foreign minister, a position he has already held under former President Dilma Rousseff.

During his diplomatic career, he has also served as ambassador to Argentina and the United States and as Brazil's permanent representative before the United Nations (UN).

Congresswoman Gleisi Hoffman, who chairs Lula's Workers' Party (PT) announced Thursday that some of the names were to be released Friday.

“I wanted to make the announcements only after his nomination, but there is too much speculation,” Hoffman said. She added Lula “would like to announce” those of which he was already sure to avoid further hush talk.

Former São Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad is expected to become finance minister, senator-elect Flavio Dino to be appointed as justice minister, Jose Mucio Monteiro to head the defense ministry, and Bahia Governor Rui Costa to lead the next government's cabinet.

Lula had originally planned to make a full announcement when he was given his president-elect diploma on Dec. 12 by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). But the pressure was too high to keep the transition team working peacefully, it was reported from Brasilia.

The only confirmations Lula had made were that Hoffmann would not be among his ministers and that he planned to create a Ministry of Originary Peoples.

The former two-time head of state had also admitted he already had “in his head” 80% of the ministers he would appoint, but that he would wait until the TSE ceremony to make an announcement.

Friday's communication is to take place at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB), the headquarters of the government transition team.