Elections and corruption

Every four years, our ordeal unfolds, embodied in the self-perpetuation of the corruption model embedded in the electoral system of our problematic democracy.

It is imperative to explain that mandatory voting should be reviewed, and that free election broadcasting time, in addition to the participation of good, non-partisan candidates, should only be implemented after one year from the election and upon receiving their voter registration card from the Electoral Court.

But it's not just campaign financing that requires specific reform; legal entities and individuals would have a ceiling for collaboration and contributions, such that the maximum that companies could provide would vary according to the position: Mayor, Governor, and President; in the first case, 5 million reais, in the second, 10 million, and in the last, a maximum of 20 million. This would correspond to the expectation of symmetry so that all candidates would be supported by sponsors, and similarly, each individual would be able to donate up to 5,000 reais, within the limit, the total of which could not exceed 500,000 reais. With these circumstances of balance and control of oversight to prevent undeclared campaign contributions and increase transparency, the complaints of those with vested interests would end, and the Party Fund would be diverted from its primary function of funding the dissemination of propaganda and directives of each party, with the barrier clause reinstated and an end to alliances between "rent-a-party" parties and the major parties to attract votes.

Within this vision, without a doubt, the election would have a predictable cost and reelection should be abolished, allowing for a five-year term, and definitively ending the professionalism of politicians who remain in office for ten or more years, and prohibiting relatives up to the third degree from running for office.

After the second term ends, there would be a minimum interval, a true four-year quarantine, before returning to the fray to win over voters with the intention of running again. Due to all the relevant factors, the electoral banner will only awaken the enthusiasm of the citizenry if there is courage in the micro-reform or macro-change of this unjust situation with so much repercussion, which ends up being the connecting element to resolve doubts and bring everyone face to face.

It is pointless for a candidate to focus on the periphery if, after being elected, their work is diametrically opposed, geared towards large-scale projects and illicit dealings that attract attention and trigger scrutiny from the Courts of Auditors and the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Alongside this demonstration, we need to establish a national anti-corruption authority in the person of a magistrate and create Anti-Corruption Courts in all states of the country, ending privileged jurisdiction for parliamentarians, except for the President, Vice President, and Ministers. For the others, jurisdiction would be restricted to their time on the floor; otherwise, common cases would be submitted to the Anti-Corruption Court, which would be responsible for judging cases with speed and efficiency, without excessive delay, as often happens in the Supreme Federal Court.

We need a major overhaul of the electoral system and to be absolutely certain that elected candidates have not distanced themselves from the electorate only to return after 4 years.

The way political representation is implemented has resulted in a system that is completely in crisis and even bankrupt, with abstentions, invalid votes, and blank votes, demonstrating the disinterest of the citizenry and the doubt of civil society.

Throughout our democracy, elections have been an irrefutable and inexorable machine for the industrialization of corruption and backroom deals that spread malice throughout the public service and prioritize achieving representation from the bottom up, not the other way around.

With the start of the political campaign and debates, we see the same people, the same candidates, and the same marketing programs, but the French saying, current and contemporary, holds true: plus ça change plus ça reste la meme chose (the more things change, the more things stay the same).

If we don't change the way we are represented quickly and efficiently, we will be forever held hostage by systemic corruption.