Congress has 34 proposals linked to acts of January 8 – 02/25/2023 – Power

Deputies and senators presented at least 34 proposals related to the coup attacks by supporters of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) against the headquarters of the three Powers, carried out on January 8 in Brasília.

Six projects are to toughen punishments for those who finance or commit crimes against the democratic rule of law.

Opposition parliamentarians presented nine proposals. Bolsonaristas demand, for example, explanations from ministers Flávio Dino (Justice) and Gonçalves Dias (Institutional Security) about the alleged omission of the federal government to prevent the attacks.

There are also requests of lesser impact, such as a motion of applause for the Legislative Police, the creation of a day in defense of democratic freedoms and the installation of a memorial in the Chamber on vandalism.

In total, deputies are the authors of 22 suggestions related to coup acts. In the Senate, there are 12 proposals.

The Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government is also considering whether to present to Congress a package of legal actions in response to the attacks, prepared by Dino’s team. One of the measures being analyzed is to suggest that a national guard be responsible for protecting the Esplanada and the Praça dos Três Poderes.

The package, however, has already dehydrated. The government should give up sending a provisional measure against scammer content on social networks. To avoid turmoil with the Legislature, the new plan is to take advantage of the discussions that exist within Congress about the regulation of networks.

PT leader in the Senate, Fabiano Contarato (ES) proposes that conviction for crimes against the democratic rule of law render politicians ineligible.

Deputies Gervásio Maia (PSB-PB) and Pedro Campos (PSB-PE), in turn, suggest a new law to allow the confiscation of goods used in the same type of crime. If approved, the rule could be used to seize buses rented for transporting scammers.

The text also mentions the financing and maintenance of camps with supplies, like the one formed in front of the Army headquarters in Brasília.

The parliamentarians also suggest that values ​​or assets used in attacks on democracy be confiscated and reverted to compensation for Fundeb (Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Basic Education and the Valorization of Education Professionals).

The proposal dialogues with something that the federal government has been saying: that it is necessary to identify the financiers of the coup acts. The project “will shield any terrorist act like the one that occurred on the 8th. Whoever participates and agrees with terrorist acts must pay the price for this decision”, says deputy Gervásio Maia.

He also states that the project will be included among the priorities of the PSB to be forwarded to the leader of the government in the Chamber, José Guimarães (PT-CE).

Senator Alessandro Vieira (PSDB-SE) proposes a change in legislation to include “political reasons” among items that define the crime of terrorism.

Also related to the coup acts, PT parliamentarians presented a PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) that proposes changes to Article 142 of the Constitution, which governs the role of the military in the country. 171 signatures are needed for the proposal to pass through the Chamber.

The text provides, among other things, that military personnel who take up public office will be “immediately” transferred to the reserve. It also limits Law and Order Assurance operations (so-called GLOs).

According to federal deputy Carlos Zarattini (PT-SP), author of the proposal, the PEC had already been discussed since the acts of Bolsonaro supporters on September 7, 2021. January, the proposal gained more strength.

“We had an expectation that the government would start in a different way, organizing normally. And there was that coup attempt. We have the opportunity and the duty to present the project”, he says.

In addition to demanding explanations from Lula’s ministers, Bolsonarist parliamentarians want to monitor the arrests made in Brasília. Deputy Caroline de Toni (PL-SC) suggests setting up an external commission to investigate “violations of fundamental rights” in these arrests.

Bolsonaro’s former minister, deputy Osmar Terra (MDB-RS) also asks that a group be created to avoid “arbitrariness”. “Especially against those who demonstrated peacefully.”

Parliamentarians also articulate the creation of a CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) on the attacks in Brasilia, a measure that suffers resistance from the government. Senator Soraya Thronicke (União Brasil-MS) called the STF (Federal Supreme Court) to force the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), to install the commission of inquiry.

Bolsonaristas want to use the CPI to wear down Lula’s management with questions about possible omissions to avoid attacks. Deputy André Fernandes (PL-CE) is one of those who collect signatures to create the collegiate.

Although the projects have not yet gone ahead, given the beginning of the legislative year and the need to install the commissions, both Pacheco and Arthur Lira (PP-AL), president of the Chamber, signaled that Congress will curb new coup initiatives.

In his speech after being re-elected, Lira defended the rigor of the law against coup plotters who destroyed the buildings of the three Powers.

“In this Brazil there is no more space for those who attack the Powers that symbolize our democracy. This House will not accept, defend or endorse any act, speech, demonstration that violates democracy. Anyone who acts in this way will be repulsed by this Parliament, the rejection of the people Brazilian and the rigors of the law”, said Lira at the time.

Pacheco also criticized the acts after being re-elected. He stated that the political world needs to put an end to coup escalations. “Events such as those that took place here in this National Congress and in Praça dos Três Poderes on January 8, 2023 cannot, and will not, be repeated. (…) I reiterate that the events of January 8 are being overcome, but will not be forgotten,” he declared.

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Some of the proposals related to the 8th of January

• PL 265/2023: Provides for double the fine in the case of attacks on the democratic rule of law. The text was presented by deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE)
• PL 492/2023: Allows the confiscation of goods used in crimes against the democratic rule of law, such as rented buses to transport scammers. Text presented by deputies Gervásio Maia (PSB-PB) and Pedro Campos (PSB-PE)
• PL 83/2023: Senator Alessandro Vieira (PSDB-SE) proposes to change the 2016 Anti-Terrorism Law to include “political reasons” among items that define the crime of terrorism
• RIC 25/2023: Deputies Adriana Ventura (Novo-SP) and Marcel Van Hattem (Novo-RS) ask GSI minister Gonçalves Dias for information on measures taken to prevent the January 8 attacks
• REQ 28/2023: Deputy Caroline de Toni (PL-SC) requests the creation of an external commission to monitor developments of “violation of fundamental rights” of people arrested in the coup plot that was set up in front of the Army headquarters, in Brasilia
• RQS 5/2023: Senator Marcos do Val (Podemos-ES) says that there is news of Abin “alerts” on the eve of the attacks on the 8th; and asks the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, what measures were taken
• PRS 3/2023: Senator Leila Barros (PDT-DF) proposes the creation of a memorial in the Senate in honor of “democratic resistance”