Appointed to report the Anti-Faction bill (PL) in the Senate, senator Alessandro Vieira (MDB-SE) informed the Brazil Agencythis Wednesday (19), that its report will not allow the Federal Police (PF) to lose resources, despite assessing that the text approved by the Chamber is “adequate in terms of merit”.
“We will check the format, but we already anticipate that there will not be any type of reduction in funding for the Federal Police, which is fundamental for Brazil.”
Approved yesterday in the Chamber of Deputiesthe substitute presented by deputy Guilherme Derrite (PP-SP) was criticized by the federal government for, among other reasons, changing the criteria for distributing resources seized from organized crime, which, according to the government, takes resources away from the PF.
The rapporteur of the PL Antifaction in the Senate assesses, however, that the text that came from the Chamber is adequate and that possible changes should be made to adjust the “form of the project”.
“It is to verify adjustments in form; on the merits, it is in line with what the collegiate, here in the Senate, understands about criminal hardening, tougher execution of sentences, but it is necessary to be careful and carry out more detailed verification regarding the form and constitutionality of some points”, stated the senator.
Alessandro Vieira informed that the Senate will hold a public hearing, next week, to discuss the project; The text will then be reported to the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) and the House plenary. If it undergoes changes, the PL returns for new analysis in the Chamber.
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Sent by the Executive to Parliament, the PL underwent several changes in the Chamber. Among other changes, the bill increases sentences for members of a faction or militia to 20 to 40 years, and can reach 66 years for leaders of criminal organizations.
The text approved by the Chamber also determines that a member of a faction must serve at least 85% of the sentence for regime progression and prohibits grace, amnesty, pardon or conditional release for members of these organizations.
Protect the debate
Yesterday (18), Vieira was chosen rapporteur for the PL Antifaction by the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP). The option for the senator from Sergipe, according to Alcolumbre, was to “protect” the debate on the topic in the House.
“I would like to protect this project from the debate that we are experiencing, unfortunately, in the Chamber of Deputies, between the situation and the opposition. And protecting this project, protecting this report is truly defending Brazilians”, he explained.
Alcolumbre revealed that opposition senators Sérgio Moro (União-PR) and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) had asked to report on the PL, but he preferred to choose Alessandro Vieira, a senator considered to have a more independent profile in relation to the government and the opposition.
According to Alcolumbre, Vieira has a long career in the Sergipe police. “He has on his personal agenda the fight and protection of Brazilians, facing organized crime since its origins, in Sergipe, and he has extensive experience,” he said.
The leader of the government in the National Congress, senator Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP), celebrated the decision of the president of the Senate.
“I believe it is the best decision I could have made. He is the most knowledgeable and experienced person in the fight against organized crime that we have here”, he stated in the plenary.
In the Chamber, the choice of the Secretary of Public Security of São Paulo, Guilherme Derrite, to report on the PL Antifaction created friction between the president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), and government parties, who complained that the choice “contaminated” the debate.
The first version of Derrite’s report envisaged submitting PF actions against organized crime to a formal request from the governor, which was seen as a limitation on the PF’s actions. After criticism, the rapporteur backed down and withdrew this prediction. The report was modified several times and had, in total, five different versions.
Meeting of Heads of Powers
The day after the approval of the Anti-Faction Bill in the Chamber, the presidents of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Edson Fachin, of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, and of the Chamber, Hugo Motta, met at the Senate’s official residence to discuss measures to combat organized crime.
“Permanent and responsible dialogue between the Powers is essential for us to move forward, with speed and balance, in the analysis of proposals that impact the justice system and the lives of Brazilians”, informed Alcolumbre, in a note.
