BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil’s federal police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro, his son Carlos Bolsonaro and others in a probe into the alleged illegal surveillance by spy agency ABIN on authorities during Bolsonaro’s presidential term.
In a statement without citing names, the federal police confirmed the conclusion of the investigation, detailing the “existence of a criminal organization focused on the illegal monitoring of public authorities and the production of fake news, using ABINS’s systems.”
The final report reached the supreme court, but it is under seal, according to a federal police statement.
Bolsonaro, who is already a defendant in a coup attempt case, was allegedly aware of Abin’s illegal surveillance scheme and benefited from it, according to a federal police source.
His lawyer told Reuters that he was not aware of the case and had not seen the federal police report.
Carlos Bolsonaro, a Rio de Janeiro city councilor, was indicted on suspicion of using information obtained illegally through the scheme to attack targets via social media.
Alexandre Ramagem, former head of ABIN under Bolsonaro’s administration, and Luiz Fernando Correa, the current head of the agency, were also indicted.
Correa is suspected of obstructing the Federal Police’s investigation during President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration.
Abin declined to comment. Ramagem’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Carlos Bolsonaro could not be reached.
The government is monitoring Correa’s situation, but there is no decision so far on his permanence or possible replacement, according to a source.
Last year, Reuters reported that the parallel structure in Abin set up under the Bolsonaro government monitored at least three supreme court justices.
After the indictment, it will now be up to the attorney general’s office to decide whether to file charges against the Bolsonaro and the others involved in the case.
(Reporting by Ricardo Brito in Brasilia; Additional reportting by Eduardo Simoes; Writing by Isabel Teles; Editing by Alex Richardson and Natalia Siniawski)
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