At a Chamber seminar representatives of the Executive and the Legislative pointed out the importance of supervising all intelligence activities.

During a Seminar on Tuesday (1st) to debate the intelligence sector’s role in a context of international lack of safety and also to discuss democratic, constitutional and legal measures to allow internal and external supervision of intelligence institutions, especially by the Legislative, experts noted the importance of external control over intelligence activities.

The Seminar “Intelligence Activity and Parliamentary Control: Strengthening Democracy” was sponsored by Deputy Severiano Alves (PMDB-BA), former president of the Joint Committee on the Control of Intelligence Activities.

The Proposal to Amend the Constitution (PEC) 398/09, presented by Severiano Alves, institutionalizes the Brazilian Intelligence System by making it similar, in terms of the Constitution, to the Defence System and regulates the Joint Committee on the Control of Intelligence Activities. It was created by Bill No. 9,883/99 to oversee the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin).

The Board
Professor Joanisval Brito Gonçalves, of the Federal Senate, stated that this type of control makes intelligence activities more effective and neutralizes abuses, besides giving more support for their activities.

Among the issues he stressed is the creation of the Intelligence Activities Control Board, an auxiliary Legislative organ for external control. According to the proposal, this Board will be made up of seven members chosen from among Brazilian citizens with proven specialist knowledge and experience in controlling the final functions of intelligence activities.

Transparency
Regis Limana, representative of Public Safety National Secretariat, said that promoting transparency in intelligence and public safety activities is essential. "Intelligence activity is going to grow only if there is control", he claimed.
He reported that his Secretariat is developing a public policy targeted at prevention. He explained that this concept encompasses intelligence activity which, in his evaluation, also has to gain the trust of society,.
Davi Salem, representative of the Federal Police Department (DPF) also supported external control of intelligence services. For him this is healthy for the sector. He said that police intelligence doctrine adopted by the DPF is an efficient tool of police management.

Difficulties in Achieving Control
Deputy Luiz Carlos Hauly (PSDB-PR) said that there is no point in a Bill aimed at controlling intelligence activity because the core of the problem is one of mentality. According to him, Brazil is still in the beginning in terms of controlling intelligence activity.

The evaluation of Deputy Marcelo Itagiba (PSDB-RJ) is that it is not easy to impose control on such activities in Brazil. According to him, what one sees throughout the country is a lack of method in the area. His opinion is that all intelligence activity not related to a police inquiry, by example, is improper.

Reporting – Oscar Telles
Edition – Marcos Rossi
Translation – José Schneider