Brazil Senate President wants to vote bill on abuse of power this year

Senate President Renan Calheiros defended this Wednesday (Dec. 14) that the bill modifying the text of the bill on abuse of power shall also be voted this year. He reaffirmed that it is fundamental to update the law, which is from 1965. The bill is scheduled to be voted by the Senate floor. On Tuesday (13), they held a session, but the matter has not been voted.

"This is an agreed agenda and was established with the participation of all leaders. The floor will have at least to approve a request removing the urgency to deliberate on the matter. As far as I am concerned, we will vote. It is a very important law for Brazil," said Calheiros.

The bill establishes a punishment for public servants, members of the judiciary branch, and prosecutors in case they sentence the offender to a prison term not enforced by law, like handcuffing prisoners who are not offering resistance to imprisonment and wiretapping without judicial authorization, affecting “a third person not included in the judicial case or inquiry".

When questioned by journalists whether his defense for voting the bill on abuse of power could be interpreted as a "revenge" against members of the Public Prosecution Office and the judiciary branch for the "Car Wash" investigations involving politicians, Calheiros denied it and noted that the judiciary branch would be responsible for sentencing the abuse of power.

"All the civilized countries in the world have this law. In Brazil, we are having a hard time," he said.

The project to update the law provoked contrary reactions from several judges, like federal judge Sergio Moro and the Federal Judges of Brazil Association (AJUFE), who consider the initiative as an attempt to intimidate judges.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta