Ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020

Jair Bolsonaro · Sergio Moro · Celso de Mello

At the recorded meeting, Bolsonaro said he had already tried to replace 'people from our security in Rio de Janeiro,' said he would not wait to 'screw' his family and friends over because he could not replace someone in security 'at the end of the line,' and ordered that the ranks be 'replaced' up to the minister. Moro stated in testimony that, at that meeting, the president demanded the replacement of the Rio superintendent's office and of the director-general; Bolsonaro told the PF, in 2021, that he was speaking of the GSI unit that handles security for him and his family. The video and the transcript were released by Celso de Mello on May 22, 2020.

Status as of April 12, 2026: The interpretation of the excerpt remains in dispute in Inquiry 4831, open according to the latest news located (April 12, 2026). The PF said in 2022 and, according to Gazeta do Povo (April 12, 2026), in 2026 that it had found no interference.

Sources (2)

In March 2022 the PF concluded that Bolsonaro did not interfere in the force and recommended closing the case; the report states that 18 people were heard and that no consistent evidence was found.

Document described in a news reportSeveral independent sources

Source: Moraes pede que PGR avalie arquivamento de inquérito contra Bolsonaro — Agência Brasil (EBC, a public company), May 17, 2024 · quotation from the report · open original ↗

According to Gazeta do Povo (April 12, 2026), the PF delivered to Moraes on April 2, 2026 a new report which, according to the article, analyzed Inq 4781 (fake news) and 4828 (anti-democratic acts) and concludes, for the second time, that Bolsonaro did not interfere in investigations that affected relatives and allies; Moraes kept the inquiry open and sent the report to Gonet.

Document described in a news reportSingle source

Source: PF contraria Moraes e Gonet e repete que Bolsonaro não interferiu em investigações — Gazeta do Povo, Apr. 12, 2026 · paragraphs 1 to 8 · open original ↗

Accusation: Sergio Moro: Moro said in testimony that Bolsonaro demanded, at the April 22, 2020 meeting, the replacement of the Rio superintendent's office and of the PF director-general.
Sources (2)
Moro's testimony, released by Celso de Mello on May 4, 2020 and made public on May 5, reports that on April 22, 2020 Bolsonaro demanded the replacement of the Rio superintendency and of the director-general, said he needed trusted people to obtain intelligence reports and that he 'would replace the director-general and the minister himself'; Moro said the pressure returned in January 2020 with Ramagem's name.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: 'Você tem 27 superintendências, eu quero apenas uma, a do RJ': confira depoimento de Moro à PF — Tribuna de Jundiaí, May 5, 2020 · sections 'Pressure for changes', 'Changes in RJ and PE', and 'Ramagem's name' · open original ↗
At the ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020, Bolsonaro said he had already tried to replace 'our security people in Rio de Janeiro' and that he would not wait to 'screw over' his family or friends because he could not replace someone in security 'at the end of the line'; the statement does not name Moro, the PF, or the superintendency.
StatementProven in a document
Source: Leia a íntegra da transcrição da reunião ministerial de 22 de abril — Poder360, May 22, 2020 · Bolsonaro's statement after that of Abraham Weintraub · open original ↗
Response: Jair Bolsonaro: He told the PF (November 3, 2021) that he was speaking of personal and family security, not of the PF. — verbatim quote
Sources (1)
In testimony to the PF (November 3, 2021), according to the report, Bolsonaro said he was referring to a small GSI unit responsible for the security of himself and his family and that he wanted to improve the monitoring of his son Carlos; he was not talking about a PF superintendency.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: Bolsonaro diz que sugeriu mudança na PF do Rio porque Estado é 'complicado' — Poder360, Nov. 4, 2021 · paragraphs on the April 22 meeting · open original ↗

Decisions

Date	Body and case	Sphere	Outcome
May 22, 2020	STF · Justice rapporteur Inq 4831	Procedural decision	Decision reported on May 22, 2020. He released the video and the transcript of the meeting, except for excerpts about two countries with diplomatic relations. Sources (1) On May 22, 2020, Celso de Mello released to any citizen access to the video of the ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020 and to the transcription, with restrictions only on passages that mention two countries with diplomatic relations with Brazil. Judicial or administrative decisionProven in a document Source: Ministro Celso de Mello autoriza acesso a vídeo de reunião ministerial — Supreme Federal Court (news portal), May 22, 2020 · text of the news item · open original ↗

“Conviction” and “acquittal” apply only in the sphere indicated: a civil or disciplinary decision is not a criminal conviction.

Quotes

Já tentei trocar gente da segurança nossa no Rio de Janeiro, oficialmente, e não consegui! E isso acabou. Eu não vou esperar foder a minha família toda, de sacanagem, ou amigos meu, porque eu não posso trocar alguém da segurança na ponta da linha que pertence a […]

Portal translation: I already tried to replace people in our security in Rio de Janeiro, officially, and I couldn't! And that's over. I'm not going to wait for my whole family to get screwed, out of sheer malice, or my friends, because I can't replace someone in security at the front line […]

Jair Bolsonaro · April 22, 2020 · Speech · Ministerial meeting at the Planalto Palace; transcript released by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) on May 22, 2020 and reproduced by Poder360

Context, original and sources →

O meu particular funciona. Os ofi… que tem oficialmente, desinforma. E voltando ao … ao tema: prefiro não ter informação do que ser desinformado por sistema de informações que eu tenho.

Portal translation: My private one works. The offi… the ones we officially have, misinform. And going back to the… the topic: I prefer not to have information than to be misinformed by an information system that I have.

Jair Bolsonaro · April 22, 2020 · Speech · Ministerial meeting at the Planalto Palace; transcript released by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) on May 22, 2020 and reproduced by Poder360

Context, original and sources →

Que, portanto, quando disse que queria trocar gente no Rio, referia-se a sua segurança pessoal e da sua família

Portal translation: That, therefore, when he said he wanted to replace people in Rio, he was referring to his personal security and that of his family

Jair Bolsonaro · November 3, 2021 · Testimony · Testimony to the Federal Police (PF) at the Planalto Palace, Inq 4831, quoted by Poder360

Context, original and sources →

Evidence

On May 22, 2020, Celso de Mello released to any citizen access to the video of the ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020 and to the transcription, with restrictions only on passages that mention two countries with diplomatic relations with Brazil.

Judicial or administrative decisionProven in a document

Excerpt: “liberou o acesso ao vídeo da reunião ministerial realizada no dia 22 de abril”

Source: Ministro Celso de Mello autoriza acesso a vídeo de reunião ministerial — Supreme Federal Court (news portal), May 22, 2020 · text of the news item · open original ↗

Official document (primary) · full text examined · accessed on Oct. 24, 2026

At the ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020, Bolsonaro said he had already tried to replace 'our security people in Rio de Janeiro' and that he would not wait to 'screw over' his family or friends because he could not replace someone in security 'at the end of the line'; the statement does not name Moro, the PF, or the superintendency.

StatementProven in a document

Excerpt: “Já tentei trocar gente da segurança nossa no Rio de Janeiro, oficialmente, e não consegui!”

Source: Leia a íntegra da transcrição da reunião ministerial de 22 de abril — Poder360, May 22, 2020 · Bolsonaro's statement after that of Abraham Weintraub · open original ↗

News report · excerpt examined · accessed on Oct. 24, 2026

Limitations: The transcript was read in Poder360's reproduction of the transcription released by the STF; the video was not seen and the STF's PDF was not opened. Moro said in testimony that, at that meeting, the president demanded the replacement of the Rio superintendency and of the director-general (fonte); Bolsonaro, in testimony to the PF, gave another interpretation (fonte).

In testimony to the PF (November 3, 2021), according to the report, Bolsonaro said he was referring to a small GSI unit responsible for the security of himself and his family and that he wanted to improve the monitoring of his son Carlos; he was not talking about a PF superintendency.

Document described in a news reportSingle source

Excerpt: “referia-se a sua segurança pessoal e da sua família”

Source: Bolsonaro diz que sugeriu mudança na PF do Rio porque Estado é 'complicado' — Poder360, Nov. 4, 2021 · paragraphs on the April 22 meeting · open original ↗

News report · full text examined · accessed on Oct. 24, 2026

Limitations: Original record not examined. The PF asked whether the statement referred to the PF in Rio; the PF's final conclusion on the point was not read.

Identifier: ep:reuniao-ministerial-22-abril-2020