Maria Vitória Ramos

Maria Vitória uses the Access to Information Law in favor of the public interest and democracy, encouraging citizen participation and government accountability.

Maria Vitória is at the forefront of a movement to strengthen the Access to Information Law (LAI) as a necessary tool to guarantee democracy in Brazil. Enacted in 2012, the LAI guarantees citizens the right of access to public information, the basis for any successful democracy. However, the law has remained little used. In 2018, Maria Vitória co-founded Fiquem Sabendo to democratize access to public information and since then, the organization has demonstrated the LAI's transformative potential in practice.

With Maria Vitória at the helm, alongside Léo Arcoverde, Bruno Morassutti and Taís Seibt, Fiquem Sabendo has taken on the mission of turning the Access to Information Law into a practical tool for social control. Knowing that a lot of government information is difficult to access, understand and analyse, the organization started translating it into simple, clear and useful data that any person or organization can use. This proactive approach challenges the status quo by seeking to reduce the asymmetries between those who hold information in public bodies and society. More than requesting data, Fiquem Sabendo empowers citizens and organizations to use the LAI strategically, promoting the responsible use of public resources and influencing policies for the benefit of the common good. The way in which the organization collects and uses data has resulted in the publication of relevant articles for the formulation of public policies - and, when necessary, the filing of lawsuits against public authorities. By empowering citizens to understand and use public information, Fiquem Sabendo challenges the legacy of colonialism, dismantling the structures of omission that create an imbalance of power between citizens and governments. This promotes a more participatory and equitable society, in which citizens can hold their leaders to account, promote transparency and transform systems that perpetuate inequality and corruption. Through a combination of four strands - advocacy, civic technology, journalism and education - the organization mobilizes journalists and civil society to demand transparency and accountability from public authorities. By documenting and sharing knowledge about the LAI, Fiquem Sabendo promotes active transparency, strengthens democracy and ensures that governments are more responsive and effective.

Maria Vitória's leadership and Fiquem Sabendo's innovative approach prove that access to information is not just a right, but an essential tool for strengthening social control, promoting equity and encouraging a more informed, engaged citizenry capable of demanding efficient and fair public policies.

Brazil's management challenges have deep roots in its colonial past and in the formation of the Republic, when power was concentrated in the hands of few. Since then, the centralization of authority has remained a historical obstacle. As a result, the government finds it difficult to take responsibility for itself, which contributes to the population's distrust and disinterest in the political process.

This problem manifests itself on two levels: macro and micro. At the macro level, the lack of transparency fosters widespread distrust in institutions, since opaque data and a lack of accountability leave citizens unsure of the government's actions. This environment of uncertainty also weakens governance, enabling abuses of power, conflicts of interest and mismanagement of public resources. At the micro level, the lack of transparency makes it difficult for the population to effectively monitor and supervise government actions. Although the Access to Information Law (LAI) was approved in 2012, many public institutions still don't implement it correctly, limiting citizens' ability to monitor and hold their representatives to account. Added to this is the widespread ignorance of the law by a large part of the population, aggravated by the lack of education aimed at its practical use. This gap prevents citizens from fully exercising their right to information, compromising transparency and the accountability of public managers.

According to Transparency.org's Corruption Perception Index - a global indicator that measures the perceived level of corruption in a country's public sector, according to experts and private sector executives - Brazil has a score of 36/100 (where 100 is very honest and 0 is highly corrupt) and ranks 104 out of 180 countries. In addition, the Brazilian government still faces significant challenges in fully complying with its constitutional obligation to publicize its actions. In 2020, an analysis by the National Secretariat of Justice found that 36% of public institutions did not respond to requests for information within the timeframe required by the LAI, undermining its effectiveness. According to the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU), in 2020 alone, more than R$10 billion in public resources were mismanaged or improperly allocated, the result of mismanagement, embezzlement and waste of resources caused, in large part, by the lack of ineffective tracking. In 2022, the Brazilian Public Prosecutor's Office revealed that 7% of federal civil servants had ties to companies contracted by the federal government, raising concerns about nepotism, conflicts of interest, abuse of power and undue influence in public contracts. The Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) also highlighted low civic engagement, revealing a significant deficit of accessible and transparent channels for citizen participation in governance and policy-making. Its findings showed that only 18% of Brazilians actively participate in public consultations or discussions related to public policies.

The lack of transparency and widespread ignorance of tools such as the Access to Information Law (LAI) weaken democracy. Decision-making without public participation erodes democratic principles and feeds a growing sense of disconnection from the political process. Over time, this lack of knowledge generates disinterest, as citizens feel powerless to influence government actions and even demand their rights. This growing apathy promotes social fragmentation and weakens social cohesion.

After learning about the Access to Information Law (LAI) during a seminar, Maria Vitória quickly identified its potential to transform Brazilian society by redefining the relationship between government and citizens. And it was in an interview with Léo Arcoverde, a pioneer in the use of the LAI in Brazilian journalism, that she found a way - and a great partner - to realize this vision. In 2018, in his third year at university, he co-founded Fiquem Sabendo - an initiative aimed at expanding public transparency, strengthening social control, ensuring government accountability and overcoming the lack of infrastructure that hinders public engagement.

This initiative is based on a strategy aimed at reaching three levels of society. First, they sought to turn the LAI into a popular tool among journalists. They bet on the logic of the "domino effect": by encouraging the use and dissemination of the LAI by press professionals, they would expand its reach exponentially. The organization believes that the consistent use of LAI by this group strengthens investigative journalism based on data and focused on solutions, with the potential to broadly inform society.

After consolidating this front, the team - now 14 people - began training civil society organizations to use the LAI as a tool to support their struggles for social rights. Ultimately, the aim is to enable anyone to access the LAI and use it to demand their own rights.

Through its four-pronged methodology (journalism, advocacy, education and civic technology), Fiquem Sabendo has successfully achieved the first two levels. The organization's next step is to reach the third level, making an exponential leap in public engagement. Fiquem Sabendo's impact is the result of a powerful synergy between its strands working together, each informing and reinforcing the other to achieve a common goal: promoting transparency and citizenship. A powerful combination of truth and action.

The organization uses journalism to hold those in power accountable and push for meaningful reforms. Through LAI, Fiquem Sabendo brings to light information of public interest that was previously difficult for the population to access, and distributes it free of charge to around 20,000 people across the country through the award-winning "Don't LAI to me" newsletter. It also carries out its own research into topics of public interest and arranges collaborations between media outlets. The organization's co-founders also write a political column in Folha de S.Paulo, entitled "Transparência Pública" (Public Transparency).

In short, Fiquem Sabendo identifies an urgent issue and requests information from the relevant supervisory bodies through the LAI. Once obtained, the team analyzes the data and collaborates with public bodies to point out possible errors and inconsistencies and correct the information at source, ensuring its accuracy and reliability. The findings are then published and used to drive public debate, promoting informed discussions for society. Rigorous data analysis and investigative journalism expose inefficient public policies, corruption, waste and inefficiency in government operations. These investigations act as catalysts for action, triggering investigations and audits by law enforcement agencies and mobilizing public pressure for accountability.

The Journalism strand of Fiquem Sabendo has made a significant impact in the field of public transparency, and has been instrumental in expanding the use of the LAI among journalists throughout Brazil. Around 10,000 reports have been produced with unpublished data provided by the organization, published by national and international media outlets. In addition, Fiquem Sabendo has accumulated approximately 3,000 publications of its own.

Two Fiquem Sabendo investigations stood out nationally: (1) the disclosure of data on pension payments to military personnel and their families and (2) the transformation of information on the President's corporate card into an open data set.

(1) For four years, Fiquem Sabendo fought with the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) for transparency in federal pension and retirement payments, which led to the opening of data on all civil servants in 2020 and, in 2021, all benefits paid to military family members. For the first time in history, the payments made over the last 27 years were revealed, amounting to R$ 480 billion in net values that had never been disclosed. The analysis showed that the 500,000 federal government pensioners consume the same volume of resources as the 28 million Brazilians served by Bolsa Família, as well as exposing distortions such as double and triple payments to military personnel and their dependents. The organization's work mobilized national debate, with more than 4,000 reports produced based on the data. The work resulted in concrete impacts: in a preliminary analysis, the Federal Comptroller General estimated annual savings of more than R$6 million from the cancellation of undue benefits; the Armed Forces were integrated into the national financial supervision system for the first time since the dictatorship; and the Federal Senate presented a proposal to extinguish the lifetime pension paid to the daughters of military personnel.

(2) At the beginning of 2023, also for the first time in history, society had access to the full corporate card expenses of all former presidents since 2003, when the instrument was created. The documents were obtained, organized and made available by Fiquem Sabendo to the entire press, resulting in the publication of 3,000 reports in just 6 months. The information led to the opening of an investigation by the Public Accounts Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Attorney General’s Office, as well as a public consultation for a decree that regulates the use of the card in the federal government.

These revelations have fueled Fiquem Sabendo's ongoing pressure for greater oversight and accountability on the part of the government, highlighting the urgent need for more transparent, responsible and ethical public management in Brazil. These cases exemplify the synergy between investigative journalism and advocacy, demonstrating how Fiquem Sabendo effectively uses its experience to promote change and improve public management.

Advocacy initiatives play an important role in expanding access to public information. By advocating for legal reforms and putting pressure on control bodies, Fiquem Sabendo contributes to expanding the public transparency framework in the country. This is key to navigating the complex legal landscape and forcing government agencies to disclose information that is being illegally withheld. In addition to providing crucial legal support to individuals and organizations seeking access to public information, Fiquem Sabendo also advocates for broad reforms to ensure more effective enforcement of the LAI. Fiquem Sabendo's work has already stimulated the construction of 23 bills, three of which have already been approved in the Chamber of Deputies and two of which the Presidency of the Republic has sanctioned without vetoes. The organization has also forwarded more than 150 complaints to control bodies and filed more than ten lawsuits against abuses of power.

In 2021, Fiquem Sabendo contributed technical and legal expertise to the process of modernizing the Goiás Access to Information Law with the State Comptroller General's Office (CGE-GO). The organization also supported the implementation of the law, helping to train citizens and public servants on how to use it effectively. Today, Goiás is the most transparent state in Brazil, according to the 2024 evaluation of the National Public Transparency Program (PNTP), setting an example for other states and municipalities.

The Civic Technology strand aims to scale the organization's impact and provide tools for large-scale social participation. One example is "Transparent Agenda", a pioneering platform that allows you to track lobbying - which is unregulated in Brazil and takes place completely in the dark. The tool was developed as part of Google's Innovation Challenge for Latin America. Updated every eight hours with data from official agendas, the platform allows users to search for keywords, apply filters and receive alerts to follow political agendas and identify possible conflicts of interest. Monitoring more than 10,000 authorities in the Federal Executive, this tool allows any citizen to follow interactions between the government and various sectors of society in real time. The tool allows society to understand what happens in the corridors of power and also exposes flaws in the transparency of these negotiations. It was from the Transparent Agenda, for example, that Fiquem Sabendo kicked off press coverage of the bets lobby. For the Lobby in Food project, the organization used the tool to expose the food industry's intense lobbying for tax exemptions for ultra-processed foods during the Tax Reform. In partnership with Repórter Brasil, they revealed the lobbying for a pesticide that is extremely lethal to bees and - after the publication of the reports - led Ibama to ban the pesticide in the country. Investment in technology is one of the organization's great differentials, and in 2025 it won a call for proposals from Columbia University to develop artificial intelligence applied to writing appeals for denials of access to information.

Fiquem Sabendo sees education as one of the fundamental pillars for strengthening democracy and expanding the strategic use of the Access to Information Law. Through training, workshops and accessible materials, it trains citizens, civil society organizations and community leaders to exercise their right to information and monitor public authorities. One of its main educational tools is WikiLAI - a platform developed with the support of the US State Department - which brings together good practices, legal guidelines and examples of successful requests, and is even used by public bodies to train their employees. The organization also runs training programs aimed at specific audiences, such as women communicators, through the Voices of Impact project, with the support of the UK Embassy, and indigenous leaders and environmental activists from the Legal Amazon, in the Climate Fiscals project, developed in partnership with the World Resources Institute and the GPSA, an initiative of the World Bank. More than 5,000 people have already been trained, more than 100,000 WikiLAI users and more than 2,000 open and reusable databases made available to the public. Partnerships with universities and city halls extend the reach of these actions, promoting the use of LAI in different territories and social contexts.

Course participants also form the "Transparency League", a group of people trained to monitor municipal or state governments through LAI requests. The League is a community of volunteers fostered and managed by Fiquem Sabendo, to whom they turn when they need arms to carry out investigations. For example, when they set up a task force to find out more about the time, budget and human resources allocated to the development and operation of the e-SIC (Electronic System of the Citizen Information Service)1.

Fiquem Sabendo sees a future in which citizen empowerment is the foundation of Brazilian democracy. To make this vision a reality, the organization intends to expand its impact through long-term partnerships with a diverse network of civil society organizations, community groups and public bodies. An essential strategy to ensure that this impact reaches all regions of the country - including historically marginalized populations - is the ongoing training of social, community and indigenous leaders in the use of the Access to Information Law (LAI). These leaders act as multipliers, sharing their knowledge in their territories and communities, which generates a cascade effect: it expands the use of the LAI, strengthens collective awareness and encourages active participation in the defense and conquest of rights.

Fiquem Sabendo has been transforming public transparency in Brazil by revealing cases of corruption, inefficiency and misuse of resources, promoting social control and strengthening democracy. Through investigations, civic technology and citizen training, the organization pressures the state to operate with more responsibility and social justice. This work has already been recognized by relevant awards, such as two editions of the Cláudio Weber Abramo Data Journalism Award (Open Data category), four Mosca trophies from the Livre.jor Award and four nominations for the SIGMA Awards, the main international award for data journalism. It has also received institutional recognition, such as the Chamber of Deputies' Public Oversight Award.

Fiquem Sabendo is also recognized for representing civil society in national and international forums dedicated to transparency and open government. It has a seat on the Transparency, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Council (CTICC), linked to the Federal Comptroller General's Office; it participates in Brazil's commitment to the Open Government Partnership; and it is part of the Supreme Court's program to combat disinformation. At the state level, he is a member of the Transparency Council of the State of São Paulo and, in the National Congress, he works with the Mixed Parliamentary Front for Transparency. It is also an active member of the Right of Access to Public Information Forum, the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN).

To ensure its sustainability, the organization is working on diversifying its resources, strategic financial planning and institutional strengthening. It also intends to increase transparency in the judicial and legislative branches, promote open government, expand the use of strategic litigation and collaborate with other organizations. Maria Vitória plans to expand the team, prepare new leaders and focus on long-term strategic actions, reaffirming Fiquem Sabendo's commitment to more open and accountable governance in Brazil.

Maria Vitória Launberg Ramos, born and raised in São Paulo, showed an early interest in social issues and a commitment to her community. As a student, she stood out as a class representative, defending the rights and ideas of her classmates in the school administration. Her determination was evident in all her activities: she excelled in his studies, sports and volunteer work. During her teenage years, he also had the opportunity to participate in academic exchange programs in the United States, which broadened her horizons and further fueled her passion for social justice.

When she graduated in journalism, she soon realized that her academic training didn't reflect her restlessness and desire to get her hands dirty. In 2015, she joined Jornalistas Livres, an independent collective that covered protests and social movements. She took part in covering the occupation of hundreds of public schools by students opposed to the reform of secondary education. This experience reinforced her choice of journalism as an instrument of social transformation. She then joined Ponte Jornalismo, an outlet focused on denouncing human rights violations, especially in the peripheries, by police forces and state institutions. As part of her course completion work, she wrote the report-book "Indigentes: o Estado que enterra sem avisar" (Indigents: the state that buries without warning), recognized by Abraji as one of the best works of 2019 and selected for the Conectas Human Rights Fair. The piece recounts cases of disappeared people who, due to the omission of public authorities, were buried as indigents - while their families continued to search for answers. It was during this process that Maria Vitória understood the real potential of the Access to Information Law (LAI), a tool that would shape her work from then on.

In 2021, she was nominated by the US Embassy in Brazil for the "Transparency and Accountability in Government" program, promoted by the US State Department. In 2023, she was a visiting researcher at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University in New York, with a grant from the Ling Institute. In the same year, she took part in the summer accelerator for entrepreneurs at the Brown Institute, linked to the School of Journalism at the same university. In 2024, she was recognized by the Social Entrepreneur Award, an initiative of the Schwab Foundation with representation from Folha de S. Paulo in Brazil.

Maria Vitória is one of the main voices in defense of public transparency in Brazil. She writes the fortnightly column "Transparência Pública" in Folha de S.Paulo and has published opinion pieces in outlets such as Estadão and Jota, addressing setbacks and proposals for strengthening the LAI. She is a recurring source for the press: she was interviewed by Jornal Nacional (2022), by the podcast O Assunto com Natuza Nery (2023), and by TV Senado, in two editions of the program Cidadanias (2024). She is a frequent speaker at national and international events on transparency, open government, civic technology and investigative journalism. She was invited by MySociety to speak at TICTeC 2024 (London) and 2025 (Belgium), and has spoken at G20 Social (Rio de Janeiro), ISOJ in Austin (USA), and events in Germany. In São Paulo, she is a regular speaker on Insper's Governance and Compliance course and gives workshops at conferences such as Coda.br, Abraji and Jeduca. She is also invited by public bodies, such as the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) and the Comptroller General of the State of Goiás, to speak to civil servants about the use of the LAI as a tool for transformation.

Under her leadership, Fiquem Sabendo has become an important force in the fight for transparency and accountability in Brazil. By offering knowledge and tools for citizens to exercise their right to information, the organization strengthens social engagement and contributes to building a more just and well-informed society.