“Brasilia Declaration” makes democratic commitments to the environment, security, cyber defense and other matters
Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira and 20 other counterparts signed “Brasilia Declaration” this Thursday (28.Jul.2022). read here the full statement (GMB).
The letter talks about democratic values and principles and declares a commitment to the promotion of peace, concern with migratory flows, with the preservation of the environment, with the discussion of the area of cyber defense and cyberspace, with the containment of the pandemic, with the recognition of the role of women in defense and security, among other matters.
The head of the Brazilian ministry is the host this week (25th to 29th of July) of the 15th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, in Brasília. He and his peers signed the text reaffirming their commitment to the OAS (Organization of American States) Charter. read here the entire draft, which was altered during the meeting.
In a note, the ministry stated that the meeting was an opportunity to “to sign negotiations and business aimed at promoting and developing the national Defense Industrial Base, in addition to providing a stage for current discussions on Defense and Security”.
The Conference of Ministers of State of the Americas is the largest meeting in the Western Hemisphere related to the theme of Defense and Security. Every 2 years, the host country is rotated among the 34 nations that make up the forum. Brazil is the host country for the 2021-2022 biennium.
electronic voting machines
The Defense Minister is a central character in the government of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in an attempt to implement changes in the electoral process. In summary, the Ministry of Defense, through Nogueira, asked the TSE to approve 3 suggestions from the Armed Forces:
- implement, still for the 2022 election, the Public Security Test (TPS) in the UE2020 polls and not only in the older devices;
- make the inspection and auditing by inspection entities effective at all stages of the process; and
- carry out the integrity test in a polling station, in the manner already adopted with a paper ballot, and not in the TRE with a substitute ballot box.
The Court responded to each item:
Model UE2020 urns
“The TSE signed an agreement with the USP to test the new polls, including the repetition of all tests already carried out on polls in all previous editions of the Public Test of Security of the Electronic Voting System (TPS)”.
Audit
“On the greater participation of inspection entities in the audit process, the Presidency of the TSE formalized an administrative process to coordinate inspection efforts. To this end, it has already contacted the inspection entities that wish to do this work and has scheduled a technical meeting for August 1st”.
integrity test
“Regarding the Integrity Test, which takes place on election day, the verification is part of the electronic system audit calendar, being regulated by a specific rule, which must be strictly complied with by Electoral Justice technicians and logistical support staff. For this year’s election, it is important to highlight that the TSE has multiplied by six the number of ballot boxes that will be evaluated during the test.”
In the evaluation of members of the Armed Forces, the TSE’s answers are incomplete. O Power 360 found that:
- USP’s entry into the ballot box testing process was viewed positively, but insufficiently in the legal field, since, according to them, the norm provides that the test must be carried out by different external agents;
- the audit is the most advanced suggestion in the negotiation with the TSE and the one that most provides transparency in the diagnosis of the Forces;
- the integrity test is the point of concern, because, according to the Defense, this is the most important and decisive step; they want it to be carried out under normal voting conditions, in the polling station, with the biometrics of voluntary voters; claim that the multiplication of the number of ballot boxes in the tests is positive, but insufficient.
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