Chamber discusses the merits of the Constitutional Amendment Proposal on the age of criminal responsibility.

Iolando Lourenço – Reporter for Agência Brasil

Almost 23 years after the presentation of the proposed amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that reduces the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 years, the Chamber of Deputies begins this Wednesday (8) the analysis of the merits of the text. The special commission created by the president of the House, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), to discuss the PEC will be installed on Wednesday, when the president and vice-presidents will be elected and the rapporteur of the matter will be chosen.

The committee will consist of 27 full members and an equal number of alternates.

The committee will be responsible for debating the merits of the proposed constitutional amendment, holding public hearings to discuss the change in criminal liability, with the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility, and preparing a report on the proposal, which will be voted on by the committee.

If approved by the committee, the matter will be forwarded to the plenary of the Chamber for consideration in two rounds of voting. Stalled for over 22 years in the Constitution and Justice Committee, the proposed constitutional amendment had its admissibility approved last week and will now have its merits assessed by the special committee.

Another topic that will move the National Congress this week is the testimony of the PT Finance Secretary, João Vaccari Neto, at the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) of Petrobras. Vaccari will be heard on Thursday (9), at 9:30 am. He is one of those accused of receiving funds diverted from Petrobras. On Tuesday, at 14:30 pm, the CPI will take the testimony of the director of Gas and Energy at Petrobras, Hugo Repsold Júnior.

Also this week, the newly created Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry into the Brazilian Prison System and the one aimed at investigating the death and disappearance of young black and poor people will meet to define the work plan and vote on requests.

The special committee analyzing the political reform proposals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday with the president of the PMDB party and Vice-President of the Republic, Michel Temer, to discuss electoral systems and campaign financing. Leaders of other political parties will also be heard by the committee on the same day.

On Thursday (9), at 14 pm, the Chamber's Human Rights and Minorities Commission will hold a public hearing on "the 100 days of human rights" in reference to the 100 days of the current government, which will be completed on Friday, the 10th. The ministers of the Secretariats of Human Rights, Ideli Salvatt, of Policies for the Promotion of Racial Equality, Nilma Lino Gomes, and of Policies for Women, Eleonora Menicucci, have been invited to the event.