Lula’s coalition woes laid bare by ally’s about-face

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Lula’s coalition woes laid bare by ally’s about-face

Congressman Pedro Lucas’s cabinet snub is testament to how governing costs have grown in recent years. Photo: House

Congressman Pedro Lucas, of the right-wing União Brasil party, has declined President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s invitation to become the new communications minister — 12 days after initially accepting the offer. The reversal publicly embarrassed the federal administration and exposed the shaky scaffolding of Lula’s governing alliance.

Zoom in. Pedro Lucas’s about-face was more than a personal decision — it underscored the political fractures within his political group. Formed in 2022 as the result of a merger of two major right-wing outfits, the União Brasil party has been deeply divided since its creation — ironic given that its name can be loosely translated as “Brazil Union.” It now contains both pro- and anti-Lula factions.

For Lucas, remaining União Brasil’s House whip instead of joining the cabinet ensures that his faction will retain influence.
Lucas has tried to spin this debacle as something positive for the government, claiming his change of heart avoids shifting power to rival groups, some of which lean openly anti-Lula.