Popular pressure on deputies becomes a crucial weapon in the fight against censorship

Popular pressure became a key element against the threats of censorship generated by Bill 2.630/2020, called the Fake News PL. Parliamentarians opposed to the proposal guarantee that the population’s reaction was decisive in changing the minds of dozens of deputies and making the rapporteur Orlando Silva (PCdoB-SP) himself against the vote on Tuesday (2).

The climate change that led to the withdrawal of the PL agenda, they guarantee, was largely related to the fear of some parliamentarians of losing the support of voters who demonstrated through Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram and other platforms. Part of the electoral base of many of the deputies who arrived in Congress for the first time this year is the “digital right” – the one that gained political relevance via social networks.

“It was the first controversial vote of the year, and many had not yet had the experience of a controversial vote, with the pressure on social networks. Many were scared when they saw the reaction of the vote on the urgency request”, says deputy Sóstenes Cavalcante ( PL-RJ). “I would say at least 40 votes were changed due to pressure on social media.”

Deputies for Novo, the only party that closed the issue against PL 2630, Marcel Van Hattem (RS) and Adriana Ventura (SP) classify popular pressure as “fundamental” so that censorship does not prevail. “This participation of the population was decisive for it not to be voted”, says Adriana.

On social networks, opposition parliamentarians celebrated the change of course, highlighting the role of voters. “They felt the smell of defeat. And thanks to you! Congratulations, Brazilian people! Popular pressure set the tone for what the vote would be like, and the Lula government will need more time to revert votes in favor of the project”, declared Carla Zambelli ( PL-SP). “Today the left felt the force of popular pressure and political mobilization, with the postponement of the vote on the PL of Censorship”, said congresswoman Clarissa Tércio (PP-PE).

Unconvinced about the matter itself but fearing losing support from their voters, some deputies changed their minds shortly before the vote. An emblematic example is that of the president of the Republicans, deputy Marcos Pereira (SP), who had published a video with a favorable tone to the PL 2,630 last week – emphasizing that it does not cover religious manifestations –, but changed his tendency and guided his party to vote against the project.

Continuity of pressure is crucial, say deputies

Maintaining pressure on deputies “on top of the wall” – who act less out of conviction on the matter and more in line with political calculations – is essential to prevent the government from being able to reverse votes and approve the Fake News PL, say parliamentarians.

One of the fears is that the political offers that the government and the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), may make from now on, added to possible changes to make the text of the PL more pleasant, are interesting to the point to minimize the impact on public opinion of a vote in favor of the project.

“The pressure must continue. The population has an essential role for us to maintain vigilance. ‘The price of freedom is eternal vigilance'”, says Adriana Ventura.

On the net, the right has organized itself to assemble popular pressure tools. The most effective has been the Placar do PL 2630, an initiative organized by the Boletim da Liberdade that registers how each deputy must vote.

The scoreboard indicated a relevant change in recent days: last week, there was a great balance between deputies in favor and against the project, but, days later, the number of deputies in favor fell, while the number contrary to the PL rose by more than 20 parliamentarians . Currently, there are 245 deputies against the PL 2,630, 218 in favor and 50 who did not take a stand, according to the scoreboard.

In the next ten days, PL 2,630 will certainly not return to the Chamber’s agenda, since Lira will be traveling to the United States and should only return to preside over a session on May 16.

On Tuesday, Orlando Silva told journalists that Lira’s absence would prevent the resumption of the discussion on the Fake News PL and that it would take “at least two more weeks, or maybe a little more time” to draw up a “more convergent proposal”.

During that time, the government should make efforts to convince unconvinced deputies to change their minds. For Sóstenes Cavalcante, the continuity of popular pressure will be essential for the PL 2,630 not to return with more force.

“The Brazilian Constitution says that the supreme power is the people. The people, when they participate in a democratic, firm way, always help in the country’s decisions. I hope that this will continue to be a routine from now on”, he says.