Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff on Monday swore in four new ministers as part of a cabinet shuffle caused by two top aides leaving to run for public office in October elections.

During the swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace of Planalto in the capital of Brasilia, Rousseff bid farewell and good luck to her chief of staff Gleisi Hoffman, who will run for governor of her home state of Parana, and to former Health Minister Alexandre Padilha, who will run for governor of Sao Paulo state.

Both will be running as candidates of the ruling Worker's Party (PT).

Hoffman was replaced by Aloizio Mercadante, formerly Education Minister, and Padilha was replaced by Arthur Chioro, formerly Health Secretary for the town of Sao Bernardo do Campo, in Sao Paulo state.

Jose Henrique Paim, who was Mercadante's executive secretary, took on the job of Education Minister.

In addition, Thomas Traumann, who served as spokesman of the presidency, was appointed to head the Presidential Press Secretariat, replacing Helena Chagas, who will serve as Rousseff's press chief during her reelection campaign.

Rousseff said the cabinet changes, which are expected to continue in the lead-up to the elections, do not mean a change in policy.

"The substitutions being made at several ministries today are part of the democratic calendar, they don't alter our course. We will continue working hard to guarantee the proper execution of our programs and the fulfillment of all our goals," she said.

Meanwhile, seven other cabinet members are expected to announce their departures in the coming weeks, including the ministers of tourism, agriculture, industry and trade, and human rights.



General elections will be held on Oct. 5, with some 140 million registered voters to elect a new president, governors, deputies and senators.