Brasilia. Afro-Brazilian musician Margareth Menezes has accepted an invitation from newly elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to become culture minister in the next government.
“I see it as a job, also because it surprised me,” said the future minister. Via Instagram thanked Menez a Lula. At the same time, he called for the support of cultural workers and the population to jointly restore the cultural sector. Culture reflects “the strength, size and beauty of the Brazilian people. We will need every individual,” she stressed.
Lula thanked himself via Instagram to “Comrade Menezes” for entry to his cabinet. In recent years, culture in Brazil has suffered a setback, “and we will honor the commitment to rebuild and strengthen the sector,” said the leftist president.
Approval for Menezes’ new role came from the cultural sector and politics. Marina Silva, MP from São Paulo, said: “Having Menezes in the Ministry of Culture of the Lula government means recognizing the historical contribution of black women to the arts, science, critical thinking and the formation of the national spirit that emerges from the diversity of people rhythms, colors, voices and creative forms.”
The Ministry of Culture is reinstated in Lula’s new government. After left-wing President Dilma Rousseff was removed from office, her successor Michel Temer initially dissolved the ministry in 2016, but reversed the decision due to public pressure. The current government of Jair Bolsonaro has downgraded the ministry to a secretariat and funding for culture has been blocked.
Menezes was born in Salvador in the northeastern state of Bahia and is one of the pioneers of the Brazilian Afropop genre. She is the founder of the organization “Cultural factory“, which promotes education, culture and sustainability. In 2022 he was awarded by the initiative “Most Influential People of African Descent” (I pad) recognized as one of the 100 most influential people of color in the world.
