A nomination published this Monday (4) in the Official Gazette of the State of Rio de Janeiro has reignited questions about the criteria adopted in the occupation of strategic positions. The chosen person to head the State Public Archive is Marco Aurélio Pinheiro dos Santos — a name that had already been dismissed on April 27 by the acting governor, Ricardo Couto, in the context of allegations involving the presence of alleged “ghost employees” in the government structure. He was assigned to the Secretariat of the Civil House.
The curious detail, to say the least, is that the return occurs in a leadership position: he now assumes the role of Director-General of the Public Archives, the body responsible for preserving the state's historical and administrative documents. In fact, he returns to the head of the institution. Marco Aurelio Santos held the position until 2024, when he was replaced by lawyer Victor Travancas amidst allegations that the archives were completely abandoned.
Return after dismissal draws attention.
Marco Aurélio's most recent dismissal occurred during a wave of resignations carried out amidst the fallout from irregularities in the public administration. At the time, the move was interpreted as an attempt by the government to respond to the widely publicized allegations.
Now, a short time later, the same name reappears — this time in an even more relevant role within the state structure. The appointment was made official after a period of more than a year without a formal director-general in the agency, a gap that, in itself, had already been the target of criticism.
Complaints and criticisms regarding the agency's situation.
Marco Aurélio will now occupy the position that had been vacant for over a year, since the departure of lawyer and professor Victor Travancas, former director of the Public Archives. When he was appointed director of the Archives, Travancas replaced Marco Aurélio, making allegations that upon assuming the position he encountered structural and administrative problems in the institution. According to him, there was a risk to the historical collection and serious management failures.
"It is worth remembering that at the time of my departure I brought to the attention of the competent authorities the identification of 46 employees in irregular situations within the Public Archives, a fact that, to this day, lacks adequate public clarification," says the lawyer.
Travancas expresses bewilderment at the choice of the new director, highlighting that the appointee had already been identified as responsible for part of the agency's deteriorating situation.
"Either the judge was misled, or this is yet another manager who has succumbed to unfounded political appointments with no respect for the state's history," he stated.
He also recalls that, at the time of his departure, he brought to the attention of the authorities the existence of dozens of employees in situations considered irregular, an issue that has not yet been publicly clarified.
Strategic role and questions
The Public Archives of the State of Rio de Janeiro is considered a key element in preserving the institutional memory of the state. Its collection brings together historical documents dating back centuries, and is essential for transparency and public administration.
Given this, the choice of the new director-general raises questions about the technical and administrative criteria adopted in the appointment.
Behind the scenes, the move is viewed with surprise — and even a certain degree of irony — by observers of Rio de Janeiro politics, since a name linked to a moment of crisis is now returning to a position of command.
What does the Civil House say?
The Executive Sub-Secretariat of the Civil House informs that the dismissal of Marco Aurélio Pinheiro dos Santos from the Civil House is due to his reappointment to the position of Director-General of the Public Archive of the State of Rio de Janeiro (APERJ), a role he held from October 24, 2022 to December 3, 2024.
Marco Aurélio had been appointed to the Civil House since leaving the Public Archives, where he held other positions, and was relieved of this post so that he could once again assume the direction of the institution.
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