Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles all but announces presidential bid

“Employment is the best social policy there is.” Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles loves this phrase. The architect of a series of austerity reforms that imposed harsh and unpopular measures on workers, Meirelles is now trying to capitalize on Brazil’s slow – but steady – economic recovery. A presidential hopeful, the minister is hoping to associate his image with rising employment rates.

While it’s not exactly a secret that Meirelles has his sights set on the 2018 presidential election, he has publicly avoided acknowledging himself as a candidate. But on Monday, Meirelles took a close step during an interview with Folha de S.Paulo.

Meirelles claimed that Michel Temer’s administration will have a candidate next year, “but it won’t be São Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin.” He said that Alckmin and his party, PSDB, lack commitment to the administration’s...