Brazil announces new labor minister amid fragile job markets

RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian government announced on Wednesday that Cristiane Brasil would be the country's next labor minister.

The 44-year-old federal congresswoman is a member of the Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), an ally of the government. She will replace her fellow party member Ronaldo Nogueira, who resigned in December.

A former lawyer, Brasil served three terms in the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Assembly before being first elected as a representative in the National Congress in 2014.

She is seen as a rising star in her party and has consistently voted in support of the major reforms carried out in the past year and a half by President Michel Temer's government.

Wednesday's announcement was made by Roberto Jefferson, the leader of the PTB and also Brasil's father. Jefferson was the whistleblower of what was known as the Mensalao scandal in 2005, which alleged that then ruling Workers' Party paid congressmen monthly bribes in exchange for votes in favor of its legislations.

Brasil has never been formally indicted for corruption so far, with two electoral crimes allegations against her being denied for lack of evidence. She was also accused twice of involvement in bribery schemes over the past two years but neither of them resulted in a formal investigation.

Brasil's takeover comes at a time when the country's job markets are still fragile. The labor legislation reform effective since November has not yet led to an increase in employment and has been criticized for making workers more vulnerable to exploitation. Enditem