[1] In 1955, he began his public career as the Chief of the Cabinet of Dr. Reginaldo Fernandes at the National Tuberculosis Service in Rio de Janeiro.

After Aluízio's electoral victory, Agnelo was invited by president Jânio Quadros to become a member of his press office in Brasília, along with Carlos Castelo Branco and José Aparecido de Oliveira.

However, his plans changed when he received an invite by Manoel de Medeiros Brito to become the Chief of the Civil Cabinet of the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

In the Aluízio Alves government, Agnelo took on various roles, including as the president of FUNDHAP, where he implemented the pioneering project Cidade da Esperança, meant to create public housing in Brazil.

[3] He also wrote two books: “Crônicas de Outros Tempos e Circunstâncias”, and the second presenting his administrative experience: “Parnamirim e Eu”.

With the defeat of the Dante de Oliveira Amendment in Congress, Agnelo continued work alongside his brother Aluízio.

Alves' administration helped to install panels on houses in urban areas and in the further out districts in order to show the public the effects of the monthly municipal budget and have a more transparent government.

In 2004, as part of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), he was reelected with more than 70% of the vote against his previous opponent, former mayor Raimundo Marciano.

Along with these, 25 basic health facilities were reformed and broadened, and a new maternity hospital was inaugurated, offering 10 neonatal care beds.

Along with this, in 2011, as president of the Constitution Justice, and Composition Commission, Alves brought attention and honed in on various pending projects to be evaluated.