Former Abin director tells the CPMI that he informed Gonçalves Dias about the risk of attacks on 1/8

The former deputy director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin), Saulo Moura da Cunha, confirmed that 48 intelligence agencies, including the STF and TSE, had received dozens of alerts via WhatsApp since the 6th about the risk of invasions in 8 of January. He testified before the Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) and claimed to have informed General Gonçalves Dias, former minister of the Institutional Security Office (GSI), since 8 am on January 8, about the serious risk of attacks .

“By telephone I informed him, at 1:30 pm, that I had the conviction of invasions”, he said in response to a question from the rapporteur. The call would have occurred after sending other reports warning of the danger.

There was controversy over whether or not Gonçalves Dias had received alerts from Abin about the imminence of the attacks. The fact that he received the alerts and did not take action may indicate omission or connivance with acts of vandalism.

A first version of Abin’s report on who received the danger alerts reached Congress in an adulterated form, supposedly to protect Gonçalvez Dias. An unchanged version was later sent to parliamentarians.

When answering a question from deputy Alexandre Ramagem (PL), Cunha said he had received a request from Gonçalves Dias to remove his name from the first report. The former director told the deputy that he would not have discussed the reason for the request with Gonçalves Dias, having only accepted the determination.

Gonçalvez Dias had previously claimed that a document was edited to remove the word “minister of the GSI” as one of the recipients of alerts for not being on that particular broadcast list. But it was unclear whether he had received the alert otherwise. With Cunha’s testimony, it is possible to know that he received at least one direct phone call.

Flávio Bolsonaro says it is important to clarify who changed reports

The CPMI of January 8 resumed its work this Tuesday (1st), with Cunha’s testimony. The witness held the position of director of the agency on Sunday, when the destruction of public buildings in Praça dos Três Poderes took place. He left the role at the beginning of March.

For Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), the testimony is important because Abin produced a series of warnings about the risks of violent invasions of Brasília, including on the eve of the invasions and depredation of public property on Sunday. “It is necessary to clarify with someone accredited about the information exchanged, the editions or suppression of reports and, above all, if there was the intention to let the dick break”, he observed.

Before the start of the testimony there was a backstage debate about the witness’s request to speak in secret session or not. Cunha’s arrival comes after the leak of the investigation carried out by the Army, which concluded that there was no planning on the part of the Institutional Security Office (GSI), the body of the Presidency of the Republic responsible for the security of the Planalto Palace, which did not call in the troops of clash of the Presidential Guard.

The opposition maintains with its requests the indication of omission by the GSI and other federal bodies, which led to the acts of January 8 due to lack of foresight.

During the parliamentary recess, the CPMI rapporteur, senator Eliziane Gama (PSD-MA), received a large volume of confidential documents, which will lead to the presentation of applications for new breaches of secrecy, especially from alleged financiers. She even wants to make recalls and confrontations.