Lula's campaign did not authorize a drone overflight to count the public in Paulista, say entities

The Political Debate Monitor in the Digital Environment, a project linked to Cebrap (Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning) and USP (University of São Paulo) and the entity More in Common Brasil state that they did not carry out a count with an estimate of the audience for the event held this Sunday (11) on Avenida Paulista, in São Paulo, because they did not receive authorization from President Lula's (PT) campaign to fly over the location with a drone.

These entities have been carrying out this type of survey of different public demonstrations based on aerial images of the events. They state, however, that throughout the campaign this was the third time that they were unable to count acts linked to the PT candidate.

Folha sought out Lula's campaign and the GSI (Institutional Security Office) to comment on the denial of the overflight and clarify the criteria for authorizing drones at the event. There was no response until the publication of this report.

According to the note, there were requests to carry out the survey at the launch of the campaign in São Bernardo do Campo, on August 16, for an event held in São Paulo on October 3 and for this Sunday's demonstration. “All requests were denied,” the organizations say.

Monitor and More in Common say they recognize the need for security protocols. The entities claim that they never use drones at events attended by the president without authorization and that carrying out the count depends on the release of the campaign and the security team.

They question, however, the fact that aerial images of this Sunday's demonstration were produced, later published by press vehicles and also by profiles that they classify as aligned with the campaign.

"If overflights are permitted to produce publicity images, refusing an independent research team, with a public work history, ceases to be a technical issue and becomes a choice", they state.

In the note, the entities renewed their request for authorization if new demonstrations occur until the end of the second round, scheduled for October 25th. They also stated that they were available to carry out, under the same criteria, counts of demonstrations for Flávio Bolsonaro's candidacy.

The security of the President of the Republic is the responsibility of the GSI. The legislation assigns the body the task of planning and coordinating events in the presence of the president and establishes that the places where he is, or are about to be, and their surroundings are considered security areas.

The GSI also adopts restrictions on the use of drones in events involving authorities. For this year's September 7th celebrations in Brasília, for example, the agency and the Public Security Secretariat of the Federal District established a Flight Restriction Zone in the region of the civic-military parade.

At the time, the GSI informed that drone flights would be prohibited within the delimited area, with the exception of aircraft belonging to public security bodies and other previously authorized institutions. According to the agency, non-compliance could result in mitigation measures and administrative, civil and criminal sanctions.

Monitor and More in Common claim that they use the same methodology in actions by different political groups.

This year, they said they had carried out counts at demonstrations called by deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) in Paulista, where they estimated 20,400 people at peak time, and at the launch of Flávio Bolsonaro's (PL) presidential campaign in Copacabana, which brought together 8,900 people, according to the survey.

According to the note, in 2022, when Lula had not yet held the Presidency, the candidacy authorized the overflight during a rally in Vale do Anhangabaú. At the time, the Monitor estimated an attendance of 9,580 people.

Called the March for Democracy, the demonstration held this Sunday was called by students, fan groups, social movements and left-wing parties and sought to boost the mobilization of the PT campaign in the second round. Lula participated in the event and directed part of his speech to young people.