Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has fired the number two of the country's intelligence services, under investigation for illegal espionage also involving one of the sons of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, according to a published notice Tuesday January 30 in the Official Journal.
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 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 replied:
"We are never sure
. "
But he added that he had
“great confidence”
in the current director of this service, Luiz Fernando Corrêa.