Amazonia: the government wants to control NGOs and allow those that respond to ‘national interests’, says the newspaper | Politics

The information was published on Monday (9) by the newspaper “O Estado de S.Paulo”. The newspaper obtained documents from the Amazon Council in which the objectives of the body are listed. One is the approval of the legal framework of the NGOs, TV Globo also had access to the documents.

The Amazon Council is chaired by the Vice President of the Republic, Hamilton Mourão. The organization was created to command the government’s actions in relation to the preservation of the forest and to respond to the international community, which demands effective actions against deforestation in Brazil.

The documents revealed by “O Estado de S.Paulo” were sent by the Vice Presidency of the Republic to various government ministers, in order to inform about the council’s programming.

One of the excerpts presents the objective of creating the regulatory framework for NGOs and then justifies the measure:

“Obtain 100% control of the NGOs that work in the Amazon region, until 2022, to authorize only those that serve national interests,” says one of the excerpts from the documents.

The documents obtained by “O Estado de S.Paulo” show that the regulatory framework for NGOs will be discussed at the Council meeting held on Monday last week.

According to the newspaper, the draft regulatory framework is not yet ready. The drafting of the draft will be in charge of the Ministries of Justice, Environment and the Office of Institutional Security (GSI).

In a note, the NGO Greenpeace said that the government’s idea of ​​controlling the action of civil society organizations is “quite serious” and shows a lack of commitment to “basic principles of democracy and social participation.”

“Unfortunately, once again, we are facing signs that the Bolsonaro government does not agree with the basic principles of democracy and social participation. The proposal to create a ‘regulatory framework for NGOs’ is part of a strategic plan of the National Council for the Legal Amazon. , ‘obtaining control of 100% of the NGOs’ that work in the region and, as of 2022, only authorize those that serve ‘national interests’, is very serious ”, said Luiza Lima, spokesperson for Public Policies of the Green Peace.

“To govern a democratic country is to defend the participation of organized civil society in decisions that impact the population. A government that values ​​democracy welcomes the voice that comes from the streets, encourages vibrant popular participation, and defends the plurality and diversity of ideas, “he added. Lime.

Mourão denies control of NGOs

At dawn this Monday, when he got to work at the Planalto Palace, Mourão was questioned by journalists about the history of “O Estado de S.Paulo.” The vice president replied that the document on the regulatory framework for NGOs did not go through him.

“I don’t know why either, I didn’t sign this document, I didn’t see it. I need to clarify it. That didn’t happen to me,” Mourão said.

Look, I read this article this morning. I’m going to see what this issue is, because that is not how it is raised. I will clarify this situation ”, he added.

In the afternoon, in an interview with Band News FM radio, Mourão said that there was a “misinterpretation” of the documents obtained by the newspaper and that there is no study to create a regulatory framework for non-governmental organizations.

“This historical issue was misunderstood for non-governmental organizations. That is not what is said. We are doing joint planning with all the ministries. […] so that we can make known what we are going to achieve in the next two years even in the term of President Bolsonaro, ”he said.

“This issue of the NGO regulatory framework is not the subject of any more serious study at this time,” he added.

The vice president did not explain the purpose of the studies contained in the documents revealed by the newspaper or whether the issue will continue to be discussed in the National Council of the Legal Amazon.

Throughout his government, President Jair Bolsonaro has attacked NGOs operating in the Amazon. In 2019, he even blamed them for the intense fires that caused the greatest devastation of the forest in recent years and the reaction of the international community against the environmental preservation policies of the Brazilian government.

In September 2020, at a United Nations (UN) biodiversity summit, the president said, without presenting evidence, that organizations, in association with “some NGOs,” command “environmental crimes” in Brazil and abroad. .