Brazil education minister resigns over CV ‘lies’

Brazil's education minister resigned Tuesday only five days after he was appointed, amid accusations that he lied over his academic record. Carlos Alberto Decotelli was the first black person to be appointed to the government of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Decotelli had claimed he held a Master's degree from Brazil's Getulio Vargas Foundation, a doctorate from Argentina's University of Rosario and a post-doctorate from Germany's Wuppertal University. 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.