Brazil's minister nominee withdraws candidacy

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's nominee for agriculture minister gave up his candidacy on Saturday after coming under growing public criticism over charges of fraud.

Lula, who kicked off a long-awaited cabinet shuffle on Friday, was expected to swear in congressman Odilio Balbinotti of the centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) as agriculture minister on Thursday.

However, Balbinotti's nomination ran into growing criticism over charges of false identity filed by public prosecutors in the Supreme Court last year.

Balbinotti renounced his candidacy on Saturday but maintained that he was innocent.

"I ask you to tell President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that I withdraw my name from the PMDB's list of candidates for agriculture minister," Balbinotti said in a letter to party leaders.

The president, who won a second four-year term on Oct. 29, swore in three ministers of health, justice and national integration on Friday.

Source: Xinhua