Brasilia, 3/31/2006 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has accepted the resignations of eight of his cabinet members (pedido de desimcompatibilização) because, pursuant to Brazilian legislation, in order to run for elective office they cannot hold a government position or appointment (the exceptions are presidents, governors, mayors and congressmen running for reelection).

According to Palacio do Planalto spokespersons, the following ministers will be leaving: Jaques Wagner [Institutional Relations] (Relacões Institucionais); José Alencar [Defense] (Defesa); Alfredo Nascimento [Transportation] (Transportes); Miguel Rossetto [Agrarian Development](Desenvolvimento Agrário), Jose Fritsch [head of the Secretariat of Aquiculture and Fishing](Secretaria de Aqüicultura e Pesca), Saraiva Felipe [Health] (Saude), Agnelo Queiroz [Sports](Esporte) and Ciro Gomes [National Integration] (Integração Nacional).

Most of the ministers will be substituted by executive secretaries, which means the cabinet will be much more technical than political. One exception is that Tarso Genro, a longtime PT politician, will take over Institutional Relations. A substitute for Alencar at Defense was not announced.

Translation: Allen Bennett