Rio de Janeiro Government Reverses Decision, Recreates Science and Technology Secretariat
Following widespread backlash from the scientific community and lawmakers, the Rio de Janeiro government has announced it will recreate the Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation within ten days, reversing its earlier merger with the economic development department.
- • Rio de Janeiro government reversed the dissolution of SECTI-RJ within 24 hours.
- • Governor Ricardo Couto committed to reinstating the secretariat in ten days.
- • A committee including university rectors and scientific members will define the new structure.
- • The decision followed significant opposition from scholars, lawmakers, and scientific organizations.
- • Formal reinstatement awaits official publication in the State Gazette.
Key details
The Rio de Janeiro state government has reversed its decision to dissolve the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (SECTI-RJ) less than 24 hours after initially merging it into the Secretariat of Economic Development. Governor Ricardo Couto committed to reinstating the SECTI within ten days following strong public backlash from the scientific community, universities, and political representatives.
The original reorganization, formalized under decree number 50.413, combined SECTI with the Secretariat of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, causing concern over the autonomy and prioritization of science and technology policies. Critics, including Deputy Dani Balbi and ELika Takimoto, questioned the move's impact on strategic scientific initiatives and lamented the absence of prior consultation with the scientific sector.
In a public meeting held on August 7, Governor Couto, lawmakers, and representatives of the scientific community discussed the matter. Councilwoman Tatiana Roque announced via social media that the government would recreate SECTI and form a committee comprising university rectors and scientific leaders to decide the agency's future structure and scope. Roque emphasized the victory of public mobilization, stating, "Our mobilization yielded results. We were heard and received the commitment that the secretariat will be recreated within ten days."
While the government maintains that science and technology remain a priority—arguing that the merger was administrative and did not diminish resources—the legislative assembly increased pressure against the merger. They demanded revocation of the decree and held calls for extraordinary meetings and public hearings to scrutinize the changes.
The situation highlights the critical role of an autonomous administrative body dedicated to science and technology in a state with significant research institutions. However, the formal reinstatement will only be confirmed after publication in the Official State Gazette, underscoring the need for continued vigilance.
This reversal underscores the power of coordinated civic and scientific mobilization in influencing policy decisions and stresses the necessity for the government to consult stakeholders before implementing impactful administrative reforms.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
