administration has been heavily criticized for sometimes insensitive comments. On June 9, 2007, asked by reporters what passengers should do while waiting for the delayed flights, the Minister of Tourism, Marta Suplicy, replied "relaxa e goza" ("relax and enjoy it"), a popular sexual expression relating to a supposedly advisable behavior for victims of rape, which can also mean "not to care". Marta apologized officially on the same day, expressing regret over an "unfortunate" comment. Three weeks later, Finance Minister Guido Mantega tried to minimize the crisis, saying that the crisis was the price of prosperity. He said that he believed the crisis was due to the "increase in the flow of traffic due to the country's prosperity." In July 2007, after the TAM Flight 3054 crash, a Rede Globo story reported that the airplane's right thrust reverser was inoperative at the time of the crash. A camera set up by Globo caught a top presidential adviser, Marco Aurélio Garcia, inside the Palácio do Planalto, apparently celebrating with an aide immediately after watching the newscast, ostensibly due to the blame placed on the federal administration's policies for the crash. The gestures, which were colloquially understood as being obscene, were widely condemned in the media. Relatives of those who died in the crash asked for their resignation. Ten months after the beginning of the crisis, in July 2007, President Lula made a statement on national TV, in which he acknowledged the existence of a crisis, and while he did not offer specific measures to improve the air traffic control system, he did commit the administration to solving some of the criticisms levied on Congonhas Airport. During the following week, the President fired the Minister of Defense, Waldir Pires. The new minister appointed to replace him was former Supreme Federal Tribunal president Nelson Jobim. President Lula vowed to improve Brazil's ATC system. See also Aviation safety Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft List of the busiest airports in Brazil TAM Airlines Flight 3054 TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 References External links DECEA - Departamento de Controle de Espaço Aéreo Brazilian Air Force Aviation accidents and incidents in Brazil Labour disputes in Brazil Brazilian aviation crisis Brazilian aviation crisis Brazilian aviation crisis Brazilian aviation crisis Aviation strikes Air traffic control in South America