Brazil's education minister resigns over CV controversy

Just five days after he was appointed and before he was sworn in, Carlos Alberto Decotelli resigned amid accusations he lied over his academic record.

Decotelli had claimed he held a masters degree from Brazil's Getulio Vargas Foundation, a doctorate from Argentina's University of Rosario and a post-doctorate from Germany's Wuppertal University. But those claims came under scrutiny within days of his appointment.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had praised Decotelli's academic achievements when he announced the appointment on Thursday.

As early as Friday, however, Rosario University's rector said Decotelli had not obtained a doctorate there and had never defended his thesis. On Monday, the minister explained the university jury had asked him to make changes to his thesis, but he had run out of money and had to return to Brazil.

Wuppertal University said in a statement that Decotelli had not obtained any academic titles there. Decotelli told journalists on Monday he had explained the "inconsistencies" to the president. He was also accused of plagiarism in his masters degree thesis, which he denied.

Third education minister

The first Black minister named to Bolsonaro's cabinet, Decotelli was a professor at Brazil's naval academy, a military connection that led him to back Bolsonaro's election campaign in 2018 and he became involved in the transition team.

Decotelli was Bolsonaro's third education minister since his term began in January last year. The first served for just three months and the second, Abraham Weintraub, for 14 months.

Bolsonaro's ideologically conservative backers consider the education ministry key to their efforts to reinforce Christian family values and roll back what they call years of Marxist influence on education in Brazil.

am/sri (AP, AFP, Reuters)