Temer may halt Rio intervention to vote on pension reform

After signing a decree this Friday (Feb 16) ruling the intervention of the Armed Forces in the control over the public security of Rio de Janeiro state, President Michel Temer said he may bring the intervention to a halt in order to vote on the reform in the country's pension system when favorable lawmakers in both congressional houses are seen to total the amount required to approve the overhaul.

If the Congress allows the intervention to be conducted, lawmakers are prohibited by law from approving any constitutional amendment—like the pension reform—for the duration of the intervention.

“Yesterday evening, [in a meeting] with the active participation of lower house speaker Rodrigo Maia and Senate head Eunício Oliveira, we ruled the continuity of deliberations on the pension reform—a crucial measure for the future of our country,” Temer said, after signing the decree.

Until the matter is brought to vote, Temer said, the work of federal security forces is to remain uninterrupted.

Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said that, if the decision is made to vote on the pension reform, President Temer must revoke his intervention decree, in which case an operation dubbed Guarantee for Law And Order—giving federal authorities more power over the security at state level—is to be launched in its place in Rio de Janeiro.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira