Confirmed this Thursday (22) as education Minister of the future government, in an announcement by the president-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the senator-elect Camilo Santana (PT) has a low profile and is known for his behind-the-scenes political skill, moving like cotton among crystals.
With this style of leadership, he balanced himself in the midst of quarrels between the PT and the PDT of Ceará, assembled a broad coalition with the support of parties such as the DEM and PSDB and went from leader to political leader after a cycle of just over seven years as governor.
Elected to the government of Ceará in 2014 under the blessings of then-Governor Cid Gomes and former Governor Cyrus Gomes, both from the PDT, Camilo is not exactly a root PT. He began his political career in the PSB, the party of his father, Eudoro Santana, who was a state deputy for four terms.
Graduated in agricultural sciences from the Federal University of Ceará, Camilo Santana was active in the student movement in his youth and built his political trajectory in the city of Barbalha. He was a mayoral candidate in 2000 for the PSB and in 2004 for the PT, being defeated on both occasions.
In 2007, he had his first experience in the Executive when he was appointed Secretary of Agrarian Development by then Governor Cid Gomes. Elected state deputy in 2010, he took over the Secretariat of Cities in Cid’s second term and became close to the governor.
In a bid considered surprising at the time, he was nominated to be a candidate for government. Your nomination for dispute was benched by Cid Gomes himself, who passed over five other names from his party to form an alliance with the PT.
The Ferreira Gomes were the main organizers of Camilo’s campaign and influenced the directions taken during the elections and formation of the government, which caused discontent in part of the PT militancy.
During his government, he managed to maintain the good indicators of basic education registered since the Cid Gomes administration and expanded the coverage of full-time schools in the state network.
On the other hand, it faced crises in the field of public security. In the PT’s two mandates, Ceará faced a escalation of violence, with an increase in the number of homicides and with entire neighborhoods dominated by criminal gangs.
The number of violent deaths had ups and downs during his administration. There were 4,019 murders in 2015, the first year of government, a number that reached its highest point in 2018with 4,518 violent deaths.
The following year, the indicator reached its lowest level, but exploded in 2020, when the Camilo Santana government faced one of its most critical chapters with the outbreak of a riot of military police.
The then governor punished the rioting police and engaged in a political battle with this sector, which included a CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) in the Legislative Assembly to investigate the financing of entities that were involved in the riot.
He showed skill in the field of political articulation, building a heterogeneous allied base that included PT, PDT and even more right-wing parties such as DEM and PSDB. Were easily re-elected in 2018, when it had about 80% of the votes in the first round.
In Ceará, opponents claim that Camilo Santana’s management left liabilities in the areas of public safety, with indicators of violent deaths among the highest in the country, and health, in which there is a backlog of consultations and surgeries in the state network.
But even opposition representatives recognize him as a politician cut out for management and without rough edges. “He had a stable government, without scandals and without opening us up to major criticism”, says state deputy Heitor Férrer (União Brasil).
Camilo’s arrival at the helm of the MEC reinforces the protagonism of a generation of northeastern governors who should be raised to ministries in the Lula government. The group already includes names like Rui Costa (PT-BA) e Flavio Dino (PSB-MA).
The appointment, however, did not come without trauma. The first challenge was to overcome an internal crisis in part of its base, which preferred to see the current governor Izolda Cela (without party) in charge of the Ministry of Education.
Izolda’s appointment was taken for granted, until the PT of Ceará claimed the folder. The Ceará bench gained strength after electing Elmano de Freitas (PT) to the state government in the first round amid an arm wrestling match with former governor Ciro Gomes (PDT).
Considered one of the most renowned public managers in the field of education in the country, Izolda was Secretary of Education in Sobral (CE) and one of the creators of the literacy program at the right age, a model that raised the city to the position of the best public elementary school in the country .
She was Ceará’s Secretary of Education, as well as vice-governor in both Camilo Santana’s terms. She took over the government in April, when the PT left office to run for the Senate.
With the nomination of Camilo, Izolda should head the Secretariat of Basic Education at MEC.
