In Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has decided to crack down on his predecessor’s big ears. The president thus dismissed the number two of the country’s intelligence services, under investigation for illegal espionage also involving one of the sons of former head of state Jair Bolsonaro, according to a notice published Tuesday in Official newspaper.
Federal police are investigating the deputy director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin), Alessandro Moretti, whom they suspect of having been part of a clandestine network that used Israeli spyware, FirstMile, to illegally listen to hundreds of politicians and public figures under the Bolsonaro presidency (2019-2022).
Bolsonaro says he is “persecuted”
On Monday, police carried out searches in several Brazilian states. In particular, she searched the home and office of Carlos Bolsonaro, municipal councilor of Rio de Janeiro and second of the four sons of the ex-far-right president. Police also went to a residence where Jair Bolsonaro and his first three sons were in Angra dos Reis, a seaside town located about 150 km from Rio.
The former president, for his part, complained of being “persecuted” by the current government. “It’s nonsense,” Lula replied Tuesday during an interview with CBN radio. Asked about his confidence in the current Abin team, Lula further replied: “we are never sure.” But he added that he had “great confidence” in the current director of this service, Luiz Fernando Corrêa.