Reports to the President Formation 1 December 1938 | Seat Palácio do Planalto Website www.casacivil.gov.br | |
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The Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic (Portuguese: Ministro-Chefe da Casa Civil da Presidência da República) is the second highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of Brazil, and a senior aide to the President. The post was established on 1 December 1938.
In Brazil, the Chief of Staff is a member of the president's cabinet, with the rank of Minister. As of 2009, the office of the Chief of Staff had an annual budget of US$3.1 billion.
The Chief of Staff is responsible for assisting the President and overseeing all cabinet requests and bureaucratic procedures involving the Presidency. Other responsibilities include negotiations with Congress and state governors. For this reason, the presidential Chief of Staff is generally regarded as the "second most powerful person in Brazil".