The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation announced on Tuesday (14) a restructuring plan for Inpe (National Institute for Space Research) one day after the director's dismissal responsible for monitoring deforestation.
The dismissal of Lúbia Vinhas, general coordinator of Observation of Terra do Inpe, was published on Monday (13) in the Official Gazette.
According to the ministry, the departure of Vinhas is related to a series of changes and has no connection with the increase in deforestation alerts in the Amazon, released three days earlier amid intense international pressure from investors.
Inpe data showed that amazon deforestation increased in relation to the previous year, the 14th in a row. The indices are also the highest since 2016.
"There was no dismissal; everyone is still there. Lúbia has left a position and will assume another position within the structure of Inpe. In fact, she assumes a strategic project of extreme importance for the country," said Minister Marcos Pontes (Science and Technology).
According to the restructuring project presented, Inpe will now have eight institutes, seven fewer than it originally had.
Pontes and Inpe's interim director, Darcton Damião, reported that the institute has been suffering a great reduction in the number of employees, currently around 700, and therefore the need to reduce the structure and regroup functions to improve management and administration of the units.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon