Virgilio Smith, Vice President of CNRT, said Pereira had been requested by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri to take on the Vice Prime Minister for Delimitation of Maritime Boundary role as an independent member.

 “When some members decide to involve in the seventh government of constitution he or she would not represent the party, it means that he or she would have to resign from CNRT’s party” Smith told the Independente on Sunday.

Smith said the CNRT party would meet and discuss Pereira’s involvement in government.

The comments came after Alkatiri submitted a list of 12-15 Minister names to the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres ‘Lú-Olo,’ for inauguration this week.

Among the names were André da Costa Belo (L-4), the Secretary State of Veterans, Osorio Florindo, the Secretary State for Youths and Sport), Mariano 'Assanami' Sabino Lopes, the Minister of Natural and Mineral Resources), Jacinto Gusmão, the Secretary State for Professional and Labor and Inacio Moreira, the Minister of Public Works.. 

The CNRT party narrowly lost its dominance in the nation’s 22 July parliamentary election, with Alkatiri’s Fretilin Party taking a majority 29.7 per cent of vote compared to its 29.5 per cent.