Brazil picks new sports minister after graft scandal

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma  Rousseff appointed a member of the Communist Party as the  country’s new sports minister yesterday, a day after the  previous minister quit in a corruption scandal.

Aldo Rebelo

Aldo Rebelo, a congressman with a nationalistic streak,  will take up the role at a crucial time as the country prepares  to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

He belongs to the Communist Party of Brazil, as does his  predecessor Orlando Silva, who resigned on Wednesday after  being accused of arranging up to 40 million reais ($23 million)  in government contract kickbacks to benefit himself and his  party, which is a member of Rouseff’s ruling coalition.

Silva was the sixth minister to leave this year and the  fifth who did so over ethics breaches. His departure was an  embarrassment for the government as it struggles with delays  and cost overruns for the World Cup soccer tournament.

Rebelo, the former head of the chamber of deputies and a  key ally of Rousseff’s popular predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da  Silva, is respected among opposition legislators and known for  taking on tough tasks.

He will be tasked with smoothing tense relations between  the government and soccer authorities and ensuring that  infrastructure projects, such as stadiums and transport  projects, are ready in time for the global showpiece.

Rousseff has dug her heels in over some of world soccer  body FIFA’s requests for the tournament, including that  half-price ticket rights for those 65 and older be overruled.

She has also cooled relations with Ricardo Teixeira, the  head of Brazil’s soccer federation and the local World Cup  organizing committee. He is facing a police investigation and  several allegations of corruption.

Rebelo led a congressional inquiry in 2000 into allegations  of corruption against the national soccer body that Teixeira  leads, though some reports say he now has warmer relations with  the Brazilian soccer boss.

The string of ministerial exits in her first year in office  has raised questions over Rousseff’s abilities to pick aides,  but also cemented a reputation as a stern manager that has  lifted her popularity among the growing middle class.