RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian government Thursday named lawmaker Edson Santos as the new Racial Equality Minister, replacing Matilde Ribeiro who resigned amid allegations on reckless use of public money.

    Santos, 53, a member of the Workers' Party (PT) of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is scheduled to take office on Feb. 20.

    Ribeiro resigned on Feb. 1 following excessive use of a credit card, whose expenses are covered by the government.

    Ribeiro, who became the racial equality minister in 2003, was charged last month of spending 14,200 reais (about 8,160 U.S. dollars) per month in 2007, 14 times as much as the average spent by other ministers.