Opposition goes on offensive against first lady

The House Financial Inspection and Control Committee on Wednesday approved requests to summon three cabinet members to explain First Lady Rosângela “Janja” da Silva’s role in government activities.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to undergo hip surgery this Friday, which will require him to work from home for three weeks. News reports have suggested that Mrs. Silva could replace the president in certain situations. She is due to accompany a ministerial delegation visiting Rio Grande do Sul on Thursday, as the southern state is hit by another cyclone bringing heavy rains.

The first lady in Brazil has no formal role in government, but Mrs. Silva has a public profile and has at times waded into the public debate over government policy.

This has reportedly caused some discomfort among parts of the government and Lula’s allies — but it is the right-wing opposition that has now gone on the offensive, with lawmaker Evair Melo from the Progressives (PP) party tabling a motion to summon Chief of Staff Rui Costa, Secretary General to the Presidency Márcio Macêdo, and Institutional Relations Minister Alexandre Padilha to “clarify reports on the possibility and competence of the first lady, Janja da Silva, taking on the presidential agenda.”

The committee approved the motions yesterday, although it will invite the ministers to appear before lawmakers rather than subpoenaing them. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Lula denied reports that a change in the date of the ministerial trip to Rio Grande do Sul was related to his plans for Ms. da Silva to take a more active role.

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