Brasilia, September 30 (RHC-teleSUR)-- The coup-imposed government of Michel Temer in Brazil announced Thursday it will privative 34 state companies in strategic areas around the country.

Temer said the companies to be privatized are in the areas of ports, airports, roads, railways, energy, oil, gas, among others.

A mechanism called Investment Partnership Program will be in charge of the privatizations. It is run by Wellington Moreira Franco, a politician specialized in privatizations during the government of Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

The privatization program is set to start in mid-2017. The coup government has not provided details as to which sectors will be privatized first.

An all-white, all-male cabinet under Temer has been pursuing market oriented austerity measures that have generated opposition among workers’ union. Strikes and stoppages have been taking place, as was the case of  the privatization of Petrobras, the state-run oil company. Metallurgical workers have also spoken out against the wave of layoffs going on in Brazil.

Michel Temer became Brazil’s president after President Dilma Rousseff was forced out of office via an impeachment that many have seen as a parliamentary coup.