Politics · Brazil · 2 hrs ago
Douglas Ruas seeks control over key posts in Rio de Janeiro government
Rio de Janeiro governor-elect Douglas Ruas is assembling his new government and wants to keep control of key areas rather than divide posts among lawmakers.
He is choosing people from his own political group for senior roles, including the state government’s chief of staff and government relations offices.
Ruas also wants to put the Civil and Military Police under one public security secretary, reversing a system that has kept the forces independent since Wilson Witzel’s government.
Some allies in his Liberal Party oppose that change, which Ruas has called a confusing arrangement.
His approach aims to avoid the division of government posts among legislators that took place under former governor Cláudio Castro.
A transition office is due to open this week at the Federation of Industries of Rio de Janeiro, while Ruas continues talks with national political and judicial leaders.
He is also seeking to prevent the Supreme Court from taking up former mayor Eduardo Paes’s effort to hold a second round of the state election.
Rio de Janeiro governor-elect Douglas Ruas is assembling his government and seeking to keep key posts under his control.
He has chosen allies for the Civil House, Government, and Communication and Institutional Relations departments.
Ruas wants the Civil and Military Police to come under a Security secretary, a plan that faces resistance within his party.
He also intends to choose the heads of the Education and Health departments himself, aiming to avoid legislators dividing up government posts.
- Who
- Douglas Ruas, Rio de Janeiro’s governor-elect.
- What
- He is assembling his government and seeking control over key posts.
- When
- The article was published on November 3, 2026; the transition office is due to open this week.
- Where
- Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
- Why
- He aims to keep key areas from being divided among legislators and to preserve them from influence by allies, especially Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
Douglas Ruas
PL allies resisting the police restructuring
Police structure
Douglas Ruas
Ruas wants the Civil and Military Police placed under a Security secretary, replacing the current arrangement of separate departments.
PL allies resisting the police restructuring
Some PL allies are pressing Ruas to abandon the change.
Jair Bittencourt tried to build a bid against Rodrigo Bacellar for the presidency of the Rio de Janeiro state legislature.
Ruas acknowledged the defeat of his ally Flávio Bolsonaro.
Ruas’s transition office is due to open at Firjan in central Rio de Janeiro.
- Governor-elect
- Douglas Ruas (PL)
- Casa Civil
- Maria Gabriela Bessa
- Government department
- Jair Bittencourt (PL)
- Communication and Institutional Relations
- Bruno Bonetti (PL)
- Transition office
- Firjan, central Rio de Janeiro
What people are saying
Unfortunately, we did not win.
a mess