"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE, for its acronym in Portuguese) has opened a probe to investigate the alleged leak of information to a Brazilian journalist who has covered the ministry's work at the United Nations for at least 20 years. Diplomats received an instruction from the MRE inquiring about their relations with UOL columnist Jamil Chade. More than that, civil servants were surprised by a question that encouraged denunciation. Among the questions sent by telegram, was this: 'Do you know of other diplomats who have professional or private relations with the journalist?'
The confidential investigation was revealed in an article by Chade this Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. It was a situation that the reporter, who was a correspondent for Estadão in Geneva, never experienced in other administrations of the Brazilian government. The investigation was initiated because of a report from Oct. 6, 2020, on Brazil's alignment with Islamic countries and its position to ignore the UN resolution on the protection of women. This type of verification is part of the regular work of a correspondent when trying to anticipate to the reader what his country's position will be in a poll. It did not contain sensitive data. According to Jamil Chade, a 15-year secrecy was imposed on the telegram with the questionnaire and the inquiry. That is, the document can only be accessed in 2035."
