After a protest that interrupted the session, the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that ends the possibilities of abortions authorized in Brazil was approved this Wednesday (27) by the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) of the Chamber of Deputies, by 50 votes against 15.
The PEC could end the permission to terminate a pregnancy in cases of risk of death for the pregnant woman, pregnancy due to rape and fetal anencephaly, that is, malformation of the fetal brain.
With shouts of “a child is not a mother and a rapist is not a father” and “remove the PEC”, protesters occupied the CCJ plenary and interrupted the discussion.
The president of the CCJ, deputy Caroline de Toni (PL-SC), asked the legislative police officers to remove the protesters. However, as they resisted and, to prevent anyone from getting hurt, the deputies switched plenary sessions. After emptying the CCJ’s main plenary, parliamentarians returned to the CCJ’s official room and visitors were prohibited from entering.
Brasília (DF) 11/27/2024 – Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ) of the Chamber of Deputies approves PEC that prohibits legal abortion in the country. Photo: Lula Marques/ Agência Brasil
“We always allow protesters to enter this commission, as long as they do so in a respectful and silent manner, but this demonstration was disrespectful,” stated the president of the CCJ.
Debate
Authored by former federal deputies Eduardo Cunha (RJ) and João Campos (GO), the PEC seeks to modify article 5 of the Federal Constitution, adding that life is inviolable “from conception”. In the understanding of parliamentarians, this change prohibits the possibilities of legal abortion currently permitted by Brazilian legislation.
Representative Dani Cunha (União-RJ), daughter of the author of the proposal, the former impeached deputy Eduardo Cunha, defended the measure stating that abortion should be prohibited in all cases.
“Abortion is nothing more, nothing less, than the murder of a defenseless baby. It’s not about religion. Those who, like me, are radically against abortion must, out of respect for life and the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights, vote yes for this PEC. I ask for the vote of everyone who respects life”, he highlighted.
On the other hand, federal deputy Sâmia Bonfim (PSOL-SP) argued that the PEC forces women and children to maintain pregnancies that pose a risk of loss of life.
“You are not defending absolutely anyone’s life. They want to condemn these women if they choose to terminate a pregnancy that poses a risk to the pregnant woman’s life. They can be convicted, including criminally, because that is what the Federal Constitution says. Furthermore, it forces children and women victims of sexual violence to become mothers”, he highlighted.
With the approval of PEC 164 at the CCJ, a special commission will be created to analyze the topic. The commission will have up to 40 sessions to issue an opinion on the PEC. If approved by a special committee, the proposal can go to the Chamber plenary.
