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Brazilian coalition government to remain: Lula

Xinhua, March 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday that he believes at least some members of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), an ally of the ruiling Workers' Party, will remain in President Dilma Rousseff's government.

Lula's comments came on the eve of the PMDB's national leadership meeting on Tuesday, when it will decide whether to remain in the coalition with Workers' Party, to which Lula and Rousseff belong.

"As far as I know, the PMDB ministers have not left the government nor does Dilma want them to go. What is going to happen is what happened in 2003: The government will build a base with the PMDB members in the Senate and the House and we will have some sort of coalition without approval of the party's head office," Lula said.

A large number of the PMDB members have been openly hostile to the administration, including Chamber of Deputies President Eduardo Cunha. Vice President Michel Temer.

Rousseff is currently facing an impeachment process, and critics predict if the PMDB would break up with the administration, its members may vote against Rousseff in the impeachment case.

Lula was appointed as Rousseff 's chief of staff on March 16, but was almost immediately suspended from the post by court injunctions. He said that he still intends to help Rousseff in an advisory capacity. Endi