BRASILIA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva swore in three new ministers Wednesday in the first reform of his cabinet to broaden the government's allied base.

The new cabinet members, Andre Fufuca (Progressives Party) and Silvio Costa Filho (Republicans Party), assumed the posts of Minister of Sports and Minister of Ports and Airports, respectively.

Fufuca took over from former volleyball champion Ana Moser, while Costa Filho succeeded Marcio Franca (Brazilian Socialist Party), who, in turn, became the new Minister of Entrepreneurship, Microenterprises and Small Businesses.

Including the two new parties in the government reinforces the need to consolidate a solid support base to approve key projects.

The new ministers' inauguration confirmed the first cabinet reform of Lula's government after more than two months of negotiations.

With the new configuration, 11 parties are now part of the government's base, with more than 300 deputies out of a total of 513 in the Chamber of Deputies.