Amid investigations into undeserved pension cuts and a new record in line at the National Institute of Social Insurance, a dispute is unfolding behind the scenes between the two main authorities in the region. The Minister of Social Security, Löni Queiroz, and the Institute’s President, Gilberto Waller, are on the front line. Meanwhile, the number of applications awaiting analysis reached 2.8 million in October, the highest number in history.
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The crisis between the two reached its peak just over a week ago. In a letter to the minister, Waller requested the resignation of the institute’s vice president and IT director, Leah Bracey Amorim, a career civil servant.
He claimed that the position is strategic and that the employee is “extremely close” to Alessandro Stefanotto, the former president who was removed from office and arrested as part of an operation without discount by the Federal Police (PF), which is investigating fraud against pensioners by associations and unions.
The minister responded with another letter to the head of the institute, saying that “the allegations are general, without any indication of violations and do not constitute grounds for dismissal of the employee.” In the document, Queiroz said that it was Waller himself who nominated Lea to be No. 2 at the National Institute of Homeland Security. The head of the institute is awaiting an explanation of the situation, but he told his aides that he had “reached his limit.”
The confusion began when Waller took a few days off and Lea allegedly used the temporary period to promote INSS staff without the president’s approval. These actions caused great discomfort to the head of the institute. When contacted, Lea and Waller did not speak publicly.
The differences go back to the middle of the year, when the institute’s leadership fell after the National Front operation. Waller was appointed to head the institute, and days later, Welny Queiroz became Minister of Social Security in place of Carlos Lope, who resigned.
Behind the scenes, the minister blames the head of the National Institute for Social Security for the queues and says he is an auditor, not a director. At a ceremony to celebrate the institute’s anniversary in June, Queiroz joked that when he took office, Waller had already been appointed president of the institute. He told a hall full of civil servants that he complained about President Lula’s appointment because he chose “a judge, a cold man, a lavagatesta” (referring to Operation Lava Jato). According to Queiroz, Lula replied: “Calm down, boy, it will be okay.”
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“I spoke badly about you to President Lula,” the minister said, addressing Waller, who was part of the table, causing laughter and embarrassment at the same time.
The conflict occurs while the INSS queue continues to grow. Automating order analysis sped up the sorting process, but was unable to accommodate the bulk of orders.
In October, the country recorded 2.86 million applications under analysis, driven by the most complex benefits: disability assistance, which relies on medical expertise, and continuous payment benefits, which require proof of disability and low income.
INSS states that the volume of applications includes a series of factors, such as legislative changes and even the demographic profile of the population. “This is a complex challenge, and its solution goes beyond the Institute’s procedures, as the benefits analysis often involves other bodies.”
Tatiana García Panema, a specialist in social security law at Durão & Almeida, Ponte Advogados Associados, estimates that the automation implemented by INSS has had limited effects:
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Fabricio Dantas, from FGV’s School of Public Administration, says there are staff shortages, the judiciary and regional disparities:
– Reduced capacity leads to more delays, which leads to more elimination, which leads to increased pressure on complex analyses, and thus new delays.
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For five months, Marcela Rosa, 65, has been waiting for a response from the National Institute of Social Security regarding her BPC application. Unsavvy with technology, she tries to follow progress over the phone – but always hears the same phrase: “Your interest is under review”:
— I even thought about going to court, but I don’t have the resources to hire a lawyer. I just hope they respond soon, because it’s very difficult at home.
The Ministry of Management and Innovation (MGI) has stated that it is committed to rebuilding public policies and has allowed competitions to be held to promote various professions.
Secretary of the General Social Security System, Benedetto Bronca, stated that the government’s main strategy to reduce the medical examination waiting list includes staff effort, redistribution of tasks and expansion of remote care:
– The problem is actually the difficulty of professionals.