Brazil President Lula Vets Bill to Keep Cefet-MG and Cefet-RJ as Technical Institutes

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vetoed the bill that would have turned the Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais (Cefet‑MG) into the Universidade Tecnológica Federal de Minas Gerais and the Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow da Fonseca (Cefet‑RJ) into the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Lula said the proposal was unconstitutional because only the president can initiate changes that reorganize federal autarchies.

The measure, authored by Deputy Patrus Ananias, had been approved by the Senate on 8 July. Ministries of Education, Finance, Planning and the Attorney‑General’s Office recommended the veto, citing concerns about new positions, costs, and potential weakening of the federal institute network. Congress now has 30 days to uphold or overturn the veto. The two Cefets expressed deep disappointment, calling the change a historic demand, while the Ministry of Education said it will draft a new urgent bill to address the issue.