On 7 January Sidônio Palmeira, the marketing strategist who ran the 2022 election campaign of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was appointed as the new presidential communications secretary.
Analysis:
This new appointment suggests Lula’s concern that the government is struggling to engage the public. This year is expected to be challenging and is likely to see more belt-tightening, as inflation and interest rates are projected to rise, and the Lula administration is expected to face more pressure to reduce public spending, among other factors that could dampen the public mood. Even though the next presidential and congressional races are not due to take place until October 2026, Palmeira’s presence in government suggests that Lula could already be preparing the groundwork for campaign strategies next year. However, Palmeira has the tough task of publicising the Lula administration’s achievements, such as reductions in unemployment and deforestation, while fending off criticisms from right-wing opposition figures that the left-of-centre government is soft on crime or fiscally profligate.
- Palmeira has decades of experience as a publicist, having worked on several election campaigns for candidates affiliated with the ruling left-wing Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT). His PR firm coordinated the successful election campaigns of two PT governors of Bahia state: Jaques Wagner (2007-2015), who is currently the leader of the governing coalition in the senate, and Rui Costa (2015-2023), currently Lula’s chief of staff.
- According to news website Poder360, Palmeira advised Lula in 2022 that the best way to defeat far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023) was to take advantage of Brazil’s polarised political climate and frame the election as a battle for the soul of Brazil, a strategy that helped to convince enough centrist voters to reject Bolsonaro.
- After Lula took office in January 2023, he maintained contact with Palmeira. Lula reportedly consulted with Palmeira even more frequently in recent months, especially following the announcement of the government’s fiscal reforms in late November, which was poorly received by markets.
Looking Ahead: Palmeira’s appointment is likely to be the first of several changes in Lula’s cabinet this year. The national press has been reporting that Lula is considering a broader reshuffle in the coming months. Some reports have speculated that the outgoing presidents of Brazil’s legislative chambers, Rodrigo Pacheco (senate) and Arthur Lira (lower house), could be offered seats in Lula’s cabinet after congress chooses its next leaders in early February.
