Lula's Decree Expanding First Lady Janja's Powers Sparks Political Debate
A decree by President Lula expanding first lady Janja's presidential cabinet access faces opposition criticism, defended as legal and transparent by government officials.
- • President Lula's decree expands first lady Janja's access to the Personal Cabinet of the Presidency.
- • Minister Gleisi Hoffmann defends the decree as legal, transparent, and cost-neutral.
- • Opposition deputies propose repealing the decree, calling it immoral and irregular.
- • AGU issued rules to ensure transparency on Janja's international travel and activities.
Key details
President Lula signed a decree in August that expands the first lady Janja's access to the services of the Personal Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic (GPPR). This move has sparked a political controversy, with opposition legislators proposing to repeal the decree, alleging it improperly increases Janja's powers.
Gleisi Hoffmann, Minister of Institutional Relations, defended the decree, stating, "There is nothing wrong, irregular, or illegal about the decree that regulated the support of the personal cabinet for the first lady's public interest activities." Hoffmann emphasized that the decree enhances transparency without creating new positions or additional expenses, and that it merely modifies the GPPR's structure to support the president's spouse in official public engagements. She criticized the opposition's claims as "political persecution and prejudice" against Janja, accusing opponents of creating distractions without constructive proposals.
Political scientist Marco Aurélio Santana Ribeiro, who heads the GPPR, oversees the implementation of this decree. Opposition deputies, including Sóstenes Cavalcante and Zucco, labeled the decree "immoral and irregular," a position disputed by Hoffmann. Additionally, transparency measures were strengthened in April through an AGU ruling requiring detailed disclosure of Janja's international travels, with exceptions for privacy and security concerns.
The decree has thus become a focal point in Brazil's political discourse, highlighting tensions between government defense of expanded first lady privileges and opposition scrutiny of presidential authority extension.