Bolsonaro’s ambitious plans for his Agriculture Minister

“Cattle are the firefighters of the Pantanal!” declared Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina at the beginning of October, during a Senate hearing to which she was summoned to discuss the wave of fires that ravaged Brazil’s vast tropical wetlands since August. Perhaps encapsulating the government’s ineptitude in dealing with the destruction of Brazil’s natural vegetation, Ms. Cristina’s words made the front pages of major national newspapers.

But despite this undesirable moment in the spotlight, Tereza Cristina has been one of the most praised members of the Jair Bolsonaro government, due to her perceived ability to balance the varying demands of her department and other sectors, such as the Environment Ministry and international relations, which both have an impact on agribusiness. 

Due to her reputation as a skilled politician, President Jair Bolsonaro is set on convincing Ms. Cristina to run for speaker of the House of Representatives in February’s election — one of the most powerful positions in the Brazilian power structure.

As The Brazilian Report wrote this week, the Agriculture Minister has refuted the idea, making no effort to develop alliances toward a possible candidacy, despite her boss’s desire for her...