The government () decided to keep confidential the opinion polls that were commissioned by Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication) from 2023, under the PT’s management, but will release the results of surveys carried out under the (PL) management.
In an opinion presented last November, the (Comptroller General of the Union) accepted the arguments of the department, led by then minister Paulo Pimenta (PT), that the research for the current mandate are “preparatory documents” and cannot be disclosed.
Secom also argued that early publication could “result in external pressure or manipulation of public opinion” and harm ongoing government proposals.
The CGU stated that the data could be released at the end of Lula’s mandate or when the public policy linked to each survey is “implemented”.
The Comptroller’s Office, on the other hand, decided that the Bolsonaro administration’s surveys, all carried out in 2022, should gain publicity. In this case, the position represents a change in attitude by the CGU. , the ministry had agreed to keep all research confidential, including those carried out before 2023.
A Sheet requested material relating to the surveys ordered by the Bolsonaro government, based on the LAI (Access to Information Law). In November, Secom stated that it would need 90 days to evaluate and process the content of the research.
In total, Secom paid R$13 million for 33 surveys carried out, from 2022 to 2024, by Ipri (Institute for Research in Reputation and Image), a research division of the company FSB. The institute won a tender in 2022, and the last work was carried out in April 2024, when the contract ended.
The report also requested access to a specific list of research carried out since 2022 and asked Secom to indicate the reason for the secrecy of each of them.
The ministry, however, only pointed out that the research reports that were “discloseable” were already available on its website, without stating the reason why each survey remained hidden.
Secom presents the results of research carried out from 2009 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2018.
The Bolsonaro administration commissioned 13 of the 33 surveys carried out by Ipri. Secom indicates that these surveys should have their results published in the first quarter of 2025.
The last government’s surveys include assessments collected in interviews carried out in households, before the 2022 elections. The themes of the surveys were Auxílio Brasil, “national situation”, “youth and the female universe” and “inclusion and social programs”, among others.
The Bolsonaro government also ordered seven surveys labeled “regular weekly”, carried out by telephone. The last one was done in December 2022, when the then president had already been defeated in the dispute for Planalto.
The Lula government wanted to know the population’s opinion about the PT government’s 100-day and 1-year milestones. These surveys cost R$2.1 million each. These are the highest amounts paid for individual withdrawals within the contract with the institute.
In total, the research commissioned under Lula cost R$9.8 million.
During the PT government, Secom also commissioned surveys on “diagnosis of public policies”, “profile of the Brazilian middle class”, “indebtedness of the Brazilian population”, “evaluation of government and situation” and “conflict in the Middle East and public agenda”.
The most recent research also includes the perception of coup attacks since 2023.
Another research deals specifically with the Federal Police, against an alleged attempt by the (First Command of the Capital), among them the former judge and senator Sergio Moro (União Brasil-PR). In March 2023, Lula became the target of criticism when he stated that the plan described by the PF was a “frame” by Bolsonaro’s former minister.
When contacted, the CGU and Secom did not comment on the decision to keep all research carried out under Lula confidential.
In appeals presented in the processes based on the LAI, Secom stated that the department’s website already points out “the value and object of each research”. The link indicated, however, points to a generic title of the research, without detailing the questions asked to the population and their results.
Secom also considered the request to release the documents “unreasonable”. The secretariat cited one about access to information from the Presidency. The text bars the disclosure of data that could “bring greater harm to society than the benefits of its disclosure.”
When called upon in an appeal presented by the report, the CGU said that there is a precedent “in which it was decided to reject the appeal, as it understood that the results of certain research have the potential to bring to light distorted information regarding a public policy to be implemented” .
According to the CGU, disclosure could still “frustrate expectations and generate the spread of misleading information, in addition to the fact that these are preparatory documents for future decision-making, access to which is assured upon publication of the corresponding act or decision”.
