Following an order from Alexandre de Moraes, Kleber Cabral will provide clarifications to the corporation on Friday afternoon (20) via videoconference
Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), ordered this Thursday (19) that the president of the National Association of Federal Revenue Auditors (Unafisco), Kleber Cabral, provide clarifications to the Federal Police (PF) within the scope of the investigation into illegal access to data of members of the Court and their families. The testimony, via videoconference, was scheduled for Friday afternoon (20).
Moraes’ decision came after Cabral gave a series of interviews to press outlets on Wednesday (18). The president of Unafisco criticized the. The case is being processed within the so-called fake news investigation, under the report of the magistrate. As the process takes place in secrecy at the Supreme Court, it is not possible to know whether the request for clarification is related to the investigation or the statements.
To the program Studio iyes GloboNewsCabral spoke about the alleged data leak from a . The president of Unafisco denied that the information came from within the Federal Revenue Service.
“[o Fisco] does not have this information. The patrimonial evolution of minister Alexandre’s wife is included in the [sistema do órgão]. If someone snooped on this, it is legitimate to ask the IRS who accessed it. The problem is that, instead of a [investigação] focused, they sent a list of 100 people for open investigation”, he said.
For the program Express Powerdo SBT Newsthe president of Unafisco stated that, to date, only one . According to Cabral, the auditor said he used the IRS system to “confirm whether a person was the ex-wife of a long-time colleague, from the same city and with the same surname” as minister Gilmar Mendes’ stepdaughter.
“He used the system to see the relationship and stopped there, there was no access to tax data and there is no record that this person had any [informações pessoais] leaked,” he declared.
In an interview with the program Hour Hyes CNN BrazilCabral said that the “disproportionality of the action” against Revenue employees generates “apprehension”. “A person without an open disciplinary process is surprised at six o’clock in the morning by the Federal Police, wearing an electronic ankle bracelet and removed from office. (…) It gives the perception that there is an inhibitory message contained in this, which is really to inhibit any work that touches the high authorities of the Republic”, he stated.
Through an editorial published on the institutional website of Unafisco Nacional, the association expressed its opinion this Thursday about the operation of the PF and the precautionary measures imposed against the inspector Ricardo Mansano de Moraes. “The entity defends that any irregularities are rigorously investigated, but always in compliance with due legal process, the presumption of innocence and the proportionality of the measures adopted. The application of extreme precautionary sanctions requires robust reasoning and consistent evidentiary support”, he declared. Read the full below.
Unafisco also recalled the decision taken by Moraes, in 2019, as part of the so-called fake news investigation that removed two IRS employees. “Subsequently, the accusation proved to have no evidential basis, and the two Tax Auditors were reinstated,” he said.
Revenue admits leak
On Tuesday (17), after the PF operation, . In a statement, the body said it “does not tolerate” the conduct, especially when it comes to “fiscal secrecy, a basic pillar of the tax system”.
The Revenue also reported that, on January 12, the Supreme Court requested an audit of the systems to identify possible improper access to ministers’ information in the last three months. According to the agency, the Internal Affairs Department initiated its own investigative procedure the day before the PF operation. The internal audit is still ongoing.
“The Federal Revenue Service has fully traceable systems, so that any deviation is detectable, auditable and punishable, including in the criminal sphere”, declared the agency.
Read the full Unafisco editorial
“Unafisco Nacional expresses concern about the adoption of serious precautionary measures against the Tax Auditor in a context still classified as preliminary analysis by the Federal Revenue itself”.
“The entity defends that any irregularities are rigorously investigated, but always in compliance with due legal process, the presumption of innocence and the proportionality of the measures adopted. The application of extreme precautionary sanctions requires robust reasoning and consistent evidentiary support.”
“This is not the first time that, in the face of allegations of a leak, removal measures and restrictions have been adopted before the technical conclusion of the facts.
“In 2019, also using the Fakenews Inquiry, Minister Alexandre de Moraes removed two Tax Auditors accused of leaking tax information from relatives of STF ministers”.
“Subsequently, the accusation was shown to have no evidential basis, and the two Tax Auditors were reinstated”.
“Federal Revenue Tax Auditors cannot, once again, be turned into scapegoats in the midst of institutional crises or disputes that do not concern them. The instrumentalization of public servants to shift the focus of public debate compromises the credibility of institutions and weakens the Rule of Law.”
“The Federal Revenue is a State body and its employees cannot be subjected to public exposure or institutional constraints before the conclusion of the investigations”.
