Lula names new tourism minister

Celso Sabino takes the stand during a House sitting. Photo: Pablo Valadares/CD

Congressman Celso Sabino was officially named Brazil’s new tourism minister on Friday, a move that had been expected for several weeks.

Former Tourism Minister Daniela Carneiro submitted her resignation to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva more than a week ago, but her departure was postponed until Mr. Sabino’s confirmation. The publication in the Federal Gazette brings both her resignation and Mr. Sabino’s confirmation into effect.

A member of the right-wing União Brasil party, Mrs. Carneiro has been preparing to join the Republicans party, dominated by evangelical Christian politicians. She will follow in the footsteps of her husband, Waguinho Carneiro, mayor of Belford Roxo, a city in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. Mr. Carneiro made the switch in April.

Since the party switch became a fait accompli, the couple has lost political support among União Brasil lawmakers, who suggested Lula replace Mrs. Carneiro with Mr. Sabino.

Mr. Carneiro is his wife’s main political mentor: she successfully ran for Congress twice under the moniker “Waguinho’s Daniela.” Because of this, Mrs. Carneiro will now resume her position as congresswoman.

Mr. Sabino, a União Brasil member who’s also in his second term as congressman, has little experience in the field of tourism. In 2021, he was the rapporteur of a tax reform bill that focused on income taxes.

The bill was approved in the House but stalled in the Senate. Last year, also under the Jair Bolsonaro administration, he chaired the powerful joint budget committee.

Despite having three colleagues in Lula’s cabinet, União Brasil lawmakers have often split their votes on bills important to the government.