President Michel Temer has tapped the government leader in the Senate, Aloysio Nunes, to take over the Foreign Ministry. He will replace Senator José Serra, a fellow member of the São Paulo chapter of the PSDB party, who resigned from cabinet citing health reasons.

At the announcement of the new foreign minister on Thursday (March 2), Presidential Spokesman Alexandre Parola said Nunes is a politician with extensive political experience in both the government and the legislature, and has a long history of supporting Brazil's diplomacy and international agenda.

Profile

Aloysio Nunes, 71 years old, has been in Senate since 2011. There, he has chaired the Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense. Before being elected to the upper house of Congress, he served as state and federal deputy for São Paulo. He was also deputy state governor in 1991−1994. In the 2014 presidential election, he was the running mate on a ticket led by Senator Aécio Neves, a member of PSDB in Minas Gerais state. The ticket was defeated in the run-off by Dilma Rousseff-Michel Temer.

Under the presidential administration of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Aloysio Nunes served as chief administrative aide (1999−2001) and headed the Ministry of Justice (2001−2002).

With a Law degree from the University of São Paulo, Nunes was exiled in France during Brazil's military dictatorship. There, he earned a degree in Political Economics and master's in Political Science from the University of Paris.

According to the presidential office, Aloysio Nunes takes office in cabinet next Tuesday (7), along with the new Minister of Justice and Public Security, Osmar Serraglio, who was confirmed in the job a week ago.