MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula replaces Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency

Boulos is a prominent leader of the Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST)

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that Federal Congressman Guilherme Boulos will be the new Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, replacing Márcio Macêdo. The appointment is expected to be published in the Diário Oficial da União (Official Gazette) on Tuesday.

“I invited Congressman Guilherme Boulos to take over as chief minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic. He will replace my colleague Márcio Macêdo in the role, whom I thank for all the work he has done to expand and strengthen social participation in our government,” Lula posted on social media. The General Secretariat is responsible for coordinating the government with social movements, a central pillar of Lula's political strategy.

Macêdo was reportedly facing criticism from social movements for an alleged lack of dialogue. Boulos's appointment is seen as an attempt to promote a “symbolic rapprochement” and strengthen the government's ties with popular and left-wing sectors, which were crucial to his 2022 election victory.

Boulos is a prominent leader of the Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST) and was the most-voted federal deputy in São Paulo in 2022. Aged 43, he has a degree in Philosophy and a master's degree in Psychiatry from the University of São Paulo (USP).

The move carries significant political weight, as Boulos is a likely candidate for mayor of São Paulo in 2026. Joining the federal government will increase his national visibility, although the decision may cause internal discomfort within his PSOL party, which aims to maintain independence from the government.

Earlier Monday, Lula met with Macêdo to discuss his replacement and outline the transition. Macêdo is one of the founders of Lula's Workers' Party (PT) in the State of Sergipe. Also participating in that gathering were Rui Costa (Chief of Staff), Gleisi Hoffmann (Secretary of Institutional Relations), and Sidônio Palmeira (Secretary of Social Communication), the Planalto Palace said in a statement.