Sarney defends top-secret documents.

The president of the Senate, José Sarney (PMDB-AP), today defended maintaining the perpetual secrecy of documents considered top secret. The new Minister of Institutional Relations, Ideli Salvatti, stated that the government will defend perpetual secrecy to fulfill the wishes of former presidents, such as Sarney and Fernando Collor (PTB-AL), who are now senators and members of the allied base.

In Sarney's view, opening historical documents could "reopen wounds" from the past. "Historical documents that are part of our diplomatic history, of Brazil, and that involve connections, as Rio Branco often had to make, we cannot reveal these documents, otherwise we will reopen wounds." He stated that it is necessary to maintain secrecy to "preserve" Brazil.

"I am very concerned that today we have the opportunity to reopen historical issues that should be resolved in the national interest. We must look after Brazil. Lately, we have all become accustomed to criticizing our country a little. Let's love our country and preserve what it has," he said.

Sarney denies, however, that his defense of perpetual secrecy aims to conceal his actions during his presidency. He stated that it is necessary to disclose everything related to the "recent past." "I am a man who has nothing to hide."

According to the Minister of Institutional Relations, the government will support changes to the text currently being debated in the Senate regarding the law on access to information. The proposal approved in the Chamber of Deputies establishes a 50-year limit for maintaining the secrecy of top-secret documents. Ideli states that the government's intention is to return to the original project submitted by President Lula, which did not include a limit on the renewal of the secrecy period for documents.