This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to MOVI NEWS.
Media sources disclosed images from security cameras in the Presidential Palace (Planalto Palace) that showed then Institutional Security Office (GSI) Minister, General Edson Gonçalves Dias, in the same location with invaders, during the 8 January attacks on the Three Powers Plaza. The potential impacts of the video on the government’s image, made central authorities accept the creation of a Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) on the protests that requested a military coup against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In addition, the event led to the first loss of a minister in Lula’s third term, and it may postpone the approval of an important project, the new fiscal rules.
The Images
On Wednesday (19/04), CNN Brazil released a video that showed Minister Edson Gonçalves Dias moving through the Planalto Palace while under attack by the rioters. Dias said that he went to the palace to remove the invaders from inside the place and check the depredation.
The images also recorded other agents, but their faces were blurred. The general also denied having anything to do with the action of a subordinate from GSI, later identified as Army Captain José Eduardo Natale de Paula Pereira, who was caught on security cameras guiding and giving water to the invaders.
Deposition
On Friday (21/04), General Gonçalves Dias testified to the Federal Police and said that he was removing extremists from a sector of the Planalto Palace, but did not make any arrests, because he was doing “crisis management”.
“GDias”, Lula’s General
General Marcos Edson Gonçalves Dias, better known as “GDias”, is known for being quite close to President Lula. He oversaw Lula’s personal security between 2003 and 2009. According to media sources, he became known as Lula’s “shadow”, as he was close to the President in official and personal engagements. During Dilma Rousseff’s mandates, GDias was head of the Institutional Security Coordination.
Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI)
Dias’ resignation came just after a meeting with President Lula and other important members of the government. According to Institutional Relations Minister Alexandre Padilha, the release of new images about 8 January and the consequent resignation of “GDias” from the command of the GSI constitute a “new political situation”. For him, this scenario would have created the need to support the creation of a CPI with the objective of stopping the propagation of fake theses about the attacks against the Three Powers Plaza, according to which the government would have facilitated the invasions and even involved itself in acts of violence.
The Opposition’s Theses
The mentioned theses would have been produced by supporters of former President Bolsonaro. For them, the video reinforces the understanding that allies of President Lula (PT) were co-responsible for the lack of security that made the invasion of the buildings possible. The narrative tries to minimize the participation of coup supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) who carried out the invasions. The fact that “GDias” is known to be a close ally of the President, would give even more power to such theories.
New Fiscal Rules
Beyond the image and political impacts, the crisis that emerged with the video can affect in practical terms the progress of the government projects. The CPI, even though now supported by Lula’s allies in Congress, will likely delay the approval of important measures proposed by the current administration, like the new fiscal rules.
The proposal, which aims to control federal government spending and replace the spending limit, would be processed quickly and probably approved by 10 May, according to promises made by Deputies Chamber President Arthur Lira. However, now, with a CPI in sight, the deadlines may undergo some changes, and not only in this case, but also in other important projects for Lula, such as some provisional measures and the tax reform project.
Bolsonaro Under Investigation
The PF set the date for Jair Bolsonaro’s testimony in the inquiry that investigates the perpetrators of the 8 January attacks. The former President will be heard next Wednesday (26/04) at the headquarters of the Federal Police, in Brasília. This is the second time he will go to the PF to testify. At the beginning of April, he also spoke to the police about the case that investigates the jewels given by the Saudi Arabia regime.
Media sources have informed that the investigations motivated the President to start thinking about running for the Senate in 2026. The reason given by Bolsonaro is the high number of cases he responds to in court, in addition to investigations conducted by the Federal Police for his work at the Planalto Palace. If elected, he would be under privileged jurisdiction, thus, he could only be judged by the special courts, like the Supreme Court (STF).
Our analysis:
The change in the government’s stance to accept and even support the CPI is a sign that it believes that it can control the debate in the Commission. However, due to its still unsolidified base in Congress, the result could be another victory for the opposition. A series of political defeats could allow the adversaries to begin attempts to remove Lula from power through an impeachment process. Political commentators have recently reported that during Lula’s series of trips abroad, his Vice, Geraldo Alckmin was questioned by members of PSDB if he would support an eventual impeachment process against Lula.
