Lula's government wants urgent passage of the bill on habitual debtors after an operation involving the PCC and Faria Lima.
The proposal calls for the punishment of companies created to evade taxes, launder money, and that disrupt market competition.
247 - Members of Lula's government defended the "habitual debtor" bill, a proposal created to punish people who repeatedly fail to meet their tax obligations. The Ministry of Finance sent a bill in 2024 that provides for the punishment of companies created to evade taxes, launder money, and disrupt market competition. The debate resurfaced among the president's allies after a major operation against the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital) targeted a scheme involving gas stations and fintech companies in Faria Lima, the financial center of São Paulo.
Fuel formulating companies linked to the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital, a Brazilian criminal organization) imported R$ 10 billion worth of naphtha, hydrocarbons, and diesel, using illegal funds from the faction. These companies evaded taxes totaling R$ 8,6 billion and adulterated fuels between 2020 and 2024. The tax authorities reported that approximately 1.000 gas stations moved R$ 52 billion during that period.
Minister Fernando Haddad included the project in the package of priorities for his ministry, which was presented to the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), and the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP), earlier this year.
The proposal did not advance in the Chamber of Deputies. Consequently, the government began to support another project, which is underway in the Senate, and which deals with the characterization of habitual debtors. The Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) approved the project in April of this year, but the text has not yet been brought to the plenary of the House. Senator Efraim Filho (União Brasil-PB) is the rapporteur.
The Minister of Institutional Relations, Gleisi Hoffmann, said this Friday (29) that she will ask the government leadership in the Senate to request urgency for the voting on the proposal.
