Close Bolsonaro ally quits for job at World Bank

A close ally of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro resigned as education minister on Thursday. Abraham Weintraub said he was leaving his cabinet position to become a director at the World Bank.

"At this moment I don't want to discuss the reasons for my departure," Weintraub said.  The new job would make his family safer, he said, without elaborating.

Weintraub was a controversial figure in Bolsonaro's right-wing government.

One of his last acts as education minister was to end an affirmative action policy that helped black and indigenous people to get onto post-graduation courses.

His resignation came just a day after Brazil's supreme court decided to keep investigating Weintraub in a case that links Bolsonaro supporters to threats, insults and falsehoods levelled against its judges and their families.

Bolsonaro said it was "a difficult moment" to see Weintraub leave.

After Weintraub gave his resignation statement, the two men embraced. Neither was wearing a face mask.

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the President has already lost two health ministers because of disagreements, as well as his justice minister, Sérgio Moro, who is hailed by many Brazilians as an anti-corruption hero.