The Brazilian government and Congress have agreed to proceed with the security amendment proposal without including a referendum on the age of penal majority.
The Brazilian federal government, along with the Chamber of Deputies, has struck a deal to advance the security amendment proposal, known as the PEC da Segurança, without the contentious issue of a referendum on the reduction of the age of penal majority. This decision was announced during a press conference by the rapporteur Mendonça Filho and the president of the Chamber, Hugo Motta, who confirmed the formation of a special committee to discuss the topic separately in the near future.
The negotiation signifies a strategic move by the current administration under President Lula, aiming to make impactful reforms in the area of public security. Originally, the proposal included plans for a referendum that would allow the public to vote on reducing the penal age from 18 to 16, a topic that has proven divisive in Brazilian politics. The agreement now allows the primary draft to be presented directly to the plenary session of the Chamber, expediting its deliberation process.
In what appears to be a bid for efficiency, the leaders noted a scheduled meeting to finalize modifications to the amendment, indicating that while the referendum matter will be discussed in a future PEC, the government is keen to push through its broader public security agenda without getting bogged down by this controversial element.
