In the 1st week of work, collegiate had two hearings, one of them confidential. Government tried, but there was no agreement to shield Lula’s brother
The 1st Week of Expertise of CPMI (Mixed Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) of the INSS (National Institute of Social Security) was marked by 2 central movements:
- The attempted government of shielding José Ferreira da Silva, known as Friar Chico, brother of the president (PT);
- CLASS OF THE Rapporteur, (União Brasil-AL), with the delegate Bruno Bergamaschi, from the Federal Police, during the confidential hearing.
Frustrated shielding
Frei Chico’s strategy of the investigation, for now, has not prospered. After the installation session on Monday (25.ago.2025), when the work plan was read by the rapporteur, the group started reserved meetings.
The priority of the ruling base was to remove the president’s brother from the agenda. The argument was political: any invitation or call would cause wear, negative headlines and the accusation of family favor.
The Government leader in Congress, (PT-AP), and the Federal Deputy (PT-RS) publicly stated that there was an agreement to call only the presidents of the 10 union entities under investigation.
As Friar Chico is vice president of Sindinapi (National Union of Retirees, Pensioners and Elderly), would be out of reach of the board.
“By this criterion, it makes no sense to summon Frei Chico. Or will they call all the association directors?”questioned Randolfe. Friar Chico is vice president, not director.
The opposition reacted. THE Poder360 consulted 9 of the 32 members of the INSS CPI. Everyone denied the existence of any pact to exclude Friar Chico.
“The convening of Lula’s brother is scheduled since before the work begins. After hearing the presidents, we will evaluate which entities need new calls.”said the deputy (Novo-RS), leader of the new.
Confidential session
The 2nd point of tension involved the hearing with delegate Bruno Bergamaschi, responsible for the discountless operation (read below), which investigates the billionaire fraud in pensions. He spoke for 5 hours in closed session, at the request of the PF.
During the hearing, Bergamaschi refused to answer several questions, claiming confidentiality. Rapporteur Alfredo Gaspar contested and said his questions were based on data already published by the press.
“At CPMI of the INSS there was no threat of arrest directed to the delegate. What happened were clarification on what is or not confidential”Said Gaspar.
According to Van Hattem, the situation climbed when the rapporteur of the room, PF coordinator, Alexandre Luís Rollo Alves, who would have instructed the witness not to comment on public facts. Government deputies resorted to the Supreme Court with a habeas corpus to reinforce the maintenance of confidentiality.
Minister André Mendonça, rapporteur of the INSS fraud, intervened. Authorized Bergamaschi to respond only about known information.
Also during the statement, Gaspar questioned the PF about the absence of arrest request against Antonio Carlos Camilo Antunes, known as, named as one of the main operators of the scheme.
The Commission also public defender Patrícia Bettin Chaves, who reported fraud since 2019.
Next steps of the INSS CPI
Next Thursday (4.Set.2025), the INSS CPI should hear 2 former social security ministers: (PDT), which left office after the operation without discount, and (União Brasil-RS), who commanded the folder in the government of (PL). The strategy is to balance work with names linked to petist and pocket management.
The commission has also defined that presidents of associations will speak on Mondays and former ministers on Thursdays, in an inverse chronological order.
Operation without discount
The PF on April 23 this year the operation without discount to investigate an INSS undue discount scheme. The operation fulfilled 211 search and seizure court orders and 6 temporary arrest warrants in the Federal District and 13 states.
According to the PF, the investigation identified the existence of irregularities related to the discounts of associative monthly payments applied to social security benefits, especially retirement and pensions, granted by the INSS.
The government reported that by 2023 the CGU (Comptroller General of the Union) began a series of findings on the increase in the number of entities and discounted values of retirees.
According to the government, the agency identified that the entities did not have operational structure to provide the services they offered to the beneficiaries and that, of the interviewees, most had not authorized the discounts.
The controllership also identified that 70% of the 29 entities analyzed had not delivered full documentation to the INSS.
In the operation, 6 people were removed from their duties. Among them,.
