Brazilian lawmaker rejects Lula's request to be minister for communications

Brazilian lawmaker Pedro Lucas Fernandes rejected an invitation from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be minister for communications, a role that oversees areas including telecommunications and postal service, Fernandes said on Tuesday.

Fernandes, who heads conservative party Uniao Brasil in the lower house, said in a statement that while he was honored by the decision, he believed he could better serve the country in his current role.

Earlier this month, Government Institutional Relations Minister Gleisi Hoffmann said Lula had named Fernandes as the new minister, after Uniao Brasil put him up for the role.

Leftist Lula has said Uniao Brasil would have the right to suggest the new minister for communications, as the previous one, Juscelino Filho, also belongs to the party.

Filho resigned from the role this month after charges against him became public as part of a probe into misappropriation of public funds.

The alleged events occurred before Filho joined Lula's government.