President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated this Thursday (15) that his government’s public security policy is going through a “good moment” and highlighted recent actions to combat organized crime, including investigations involving deviations at Banco Master and the Operation Hidden Carbonwhich investigates tax fraud and money laundering in the fuel sector.
“We have never been so close and never had so much opportunity, such a chance to reach the top floor of corruption and organized crime in this country as we are now. At this exact historical moment in Brazil, after Operation Hidden Carbon, which was the largest operation ever carried out by the Federal Police, together with the São Paulo Police, together with the Federal Revenue, after Refitwhen we managed to block five ships with 250 million liters of smuggled gasoline. After we did this, after the situation between the Central Bank and the Master Bank”, said the president during his inauguration speech new minister of Justice and Public SecurityWellington Lima e Silva, in a reserved event at Palácio do Planalto. The ceremony was attended by some assistants and former minister Ricardo Lewandowski.
“We are going to show that the Brazilian State will defeat organized crime”, said the president.
Lula stated that he is confident in the advancement of the Constitutional Amendment Proposal (PEC) of Public Securitywhich is being processed in the Chamber of Deputies and which will define the role of the Union in the sector. “Because the 1988 Constitution transferred responsibility to the states. And we will know where the State [União] can participate. It’s not just the transfer of money, what is the action of the Federal Police, what is the action of the National Guard that we have to create with great force, what is the action of the Federal Highway Police, what is the role of each one”, he stated.
Lula called for coordination between different State bodies and said that fighting crime “is not just about killing people in favelas.”
“It’s not just about arresting the poor, it will reach coverage and find out who is actually responsible, who makes money, who doesn’t pay taxes, who evades in this country. Which is one of the reasons for the impoverishment of our country”, he continued.
After taking office, Wellington Lima e Silva spoke to journalists and defended that the PEC advances in Congress, where the government does not have a broad base of support.
“I firmly believe in Congress’s sense of responsibility. Every project, every forwarding of legislative proposal that comes from the Executive, it will be assessed by Congress, by both Houses. And the government has to make the effort, at the limit, so that the final product of this initiative is consistent with what it expects from that public policy and that takes into account the interests of society”, he said.
Ministry
Wellington Lima e Silva said that he will talk to each of the department’s secretaries to evaluate the possible continuation or replacement of the team. According to the minister, President Lula gave complete freedom to set up the main positions in the ministry. The current general directors of the PF and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) will remain in their positions.
“In yesterday’s transition meeting, I had already assured that the director general of the Federal Police and the director general of the Federal Highway Police would remain, they will not suffer. And in the case of the national secretaries, I allow myself the right to listen to them, analyze the result and define adjustments. So, many of them may remain, I may change one, two, three or four, the president gave full freedom to assemble the team, there are no circumstances other than an analysis of the merit of the result produced so far.”
Expanded article at 7:36 pm
