Bolsonaro dismisses Vélez and Abraham Weintraub is the new Minister of Education

This Monday (8), President Jair Bolsonaro announced, via Twitter, the resignation of the Colombian Ricardo Velez Rodriguez of the position of Minister of Education.

Vélez Rodríguez took office on January 1 and faced an “internal war” in the Ministry of Education (MEC) caused by disagreements between the military and followers of the writer Olaf de Carvalho.

On Friday (5), at a breakfast with journalists, President Jair Bolsonaro said that the minister could leave office on Monday (8). “Monday will be the day of 'I stay or I don't stay'”, said the president at the time.

Shortly after the president's statement, Véllez, who was participating in an event in Campos do Jordão (SP) declared that he would not relinquish office.

A Colombian naturalized Brazilian, Vélez Rodríguez took office on January 1st and was facing a “internal war” in the MEC caused by disagreements between the military and followers of the writer Olavo de Oak.

On Friday (5), at a breakfast with journalists, President Jair Bolsonaro said that the minister could leave office on Monday (8). “Monday will be the day of 'I stay or I don't stay'”, said the president at the time.

Shortly after the president's statement, Velez, who was participating in an event in Campos do Jordão (SP) declared that he would not hand over his position.

At the café, Bolsonaro also stated that there is no rivalry between the ideological wing of the government – ​​influenced by the writer Olavo de Carvalho – and the military current, composed of generals who hold high positions in the Executive federal.

In the two and a half months at the head of the Ministry of Education, Ricardo Vélez Rodríguez collected a series of polemics, among which:

• He said he wants to change textbooks to review the way they treat the military dictatorship and the 1964 coup.
• He announced the resignation of the executive secretary of the folder in the face of the “war” in the ministry. Then he changed the substitutes and also dismissed the president of Inep;
• He asked schools to film students singing the National Anthem and send the video to MEC. Then he went back;
• He said in an interview that the Brazilian looks like a “cannibal” when he travels abroad. Afterwards, he is said to have been “unfortunate” in the statement;
• He stated that university is not for everyone.
• In addition, since the beginning of his administration, in January, there have been at least 14 changes in important positions in the Ministry of Education.

Shortly after Vélez's resignation, Bolsonaro already announced the name of the new Minister of Education, Abraham Weintraub.

(Source: G1 News)