Brazil's Lula taps Pedro Lucas Fernandes as minister for communications

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva named lawmaker Pedro Lucas Fernandes as his new minister for communications, Government Institutional Relations Minister Gleisi Hoffmann announced on Thursday.

Previous minister for communications Juscelino Filho resigned from the role earlier this week after charges against him became public as part of a probe of misappropriation of public funds. The investigation is related to alleged events that happened before Filho joined Lula's government.

Fernandes, who will oversee services including telecommunications and postal, should be inaugurated after the Easter holiday later this month, Hoffmann told reporters in Brasilia.

Fernandes and Filho share the same political party, the conservative Uniao Brasil. Fernandes is the leader of Uniao Brasil within Brazil's Lower House.

Left-wing Lula has said Uniao Brasil would have the right to suggest to him the new minister.