Brazilian Congressman André Janones said he does not intend to serve as a minister in President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government and will continue representing his constituents in the Chamber of Deputies. “I will not accept a ministry. That’s final,” he said in an interview broadcast by TV Globo’s Fantástico on Sunday, in a report about his digital campaign work during the second round of the presidential election.
Janones also discussed the WhatsApp channel “Exército do Lula,” which he created to mobilize the president’s supporters online. The channel grew in prominence in the weeks before the runoff and passed 10 million followers during the campaign, according to the report. Participants received messages and videos encouraging them to share content and invite others to join. The initiative was also challenged by the opposing campaign before the electoral court.
Asked about his political ties, Janones praised Cleitinho Azevedo, a Republican who was elected governor of Minas Gerais. He described Azevedo as someone seeking to promote reconciliation and move beyond ideological polarization.
Janones said he plans to remain in Rede Sustentabilidade, citing his independence and loyalty to the party. Lula had thanked the congressman for his work during his victory speech on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, calling him a “general” and saying digital communication would have an important role in his new government.
Janones was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Minas Gerais in 2018 and won reelection in 2022 and 2026. He had launched a pre-candidacy for president in 2022 but withdrew to support Lula in the first round and join the PT candidate’s digital campaign strategy.
Sources: Folha Poder.