With the support of the PSDB, Cunha is expected to approve the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility.
The Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), reached an agreement with the PSDB on Tuesday (16) to approve the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility in Brazil from 18 to 16 years; with the support of at least six other parties, the adherence to the proposal was sealed at a lunch at the official residence of the Speaker of the House; it should be approved this Wednesday (17) in the House's special committee and, next week, will be taken to a vote in the House plenary.
247 - The Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), reached an agreement with the PSDB on Tuesday (16) to approve the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility in Brazil from 18 to 16 years. With the support of at least six other parties, the adherence to the proposal was sealed at a lunch at the official residence of the Speaker of the House. It should be approved this Wednesday (17) in the House's special committee and, next week, will be taken to a vote in the House plenary.
The text agreed upon between Cunha and the PSDB party foresees the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility in cases of heinous crimes (such as rape and robbery resulting in death), serious bodily harm, and aggravated robbery (when there is kidnapping or the participation of two or more criminals, among other circumstances).
Due to pressure from Cunha, the PSDB also agreed to concede, and the point that would give the Public Prosecutor's Office the power, on a case-by-case basis, to not apply the reduction will be removed from the bill that served as the basis for the agreement, authored by Senator Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (PSDB-SP).
Under the agreement, lowering the age of criminal responsibility would be automatic for the crimes listed above, with the Public Prosecutor's Office responsible for indicting – or suggesting the dismissal of – these young people based on the Penal Code.