The rapporteur wants to toughen the text of the Security Amendment.
Brazilian Congressman Mendonça Filho wants to limit sentence progression for serious crimes and proposes taxing gambling to finance the security sector.
247 - Congressman Mendonça Filho (União-PE), rapporteur of the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) on Public Security, intends to toughen the text to overcome resistance within the right wing. He wants to restrict the progression of sentences for serious crimes and create new sources of funding for public security. According to the column by Amanda KleinAccording to UOL, the goal is to strengthen the prison system and secure more resources for the Unified Public Security System (SUSP) and the National Penitentiary Fund (Funpen).
Stricter progression of sentence
Mendonça Filho argues that the Constitution should establish stricter rules for parole. "I could establish in the Constitution that crimes of a certain level of severity do not qualify for parole, or that parole only occurs after 90% of the sentence has been served, for example," the congressman stated.
The measure seeks to address demands from political groups and segments of society that are calling for stronger responses in the fight against crime. The tightening of criminal legislation is seen as a point of convergence among right-wing parliamentarians, although it faces resistance from sectors of the left.
Taxation of betting and reinforcement of security funds.
Another point of the proposal, according to the report, is the creation of a permanent source of funding for the SUSP (Unified Public Security System) and Funpen (National Penitentiary Fund). The rapporteur suggests taxing online sports betting — the so-called "bets" — and using frozen public funds.
“The SUSP [Unified Public Security System] has R$ 1,5 billion for the entire country, and Funpen [National Penitentiary Fund] has R$ 800 million. The prison system is one of the biggest security problems. Criminals are recruited in prison to increase the number of drug traffickers. I want to create a dedicated source to fund these resources. I'm thinking about 'bets,' which are currently popular. There are also frozen funds that I can use,” he stated.
State autonomy and the role of the Union
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to strengthen the federal government's role in formulating public security policies and to expand integration among the federative entities. However, governors of states linked to the right have expressed opposition, alleging federal interference in state autonomy.
To reduce resistance, Mendonça Filho intends to make it clear that the proposal does not foresee the subordination of states to the federal government. “I will make it clear in the PEC that there is no subordination or interference. Autonomy is an entrenched clause. And I will also make the Federal Revenue Service a subsidiary body of public security, since criminal activities have great economic power,” he added.
Calendar and political dispute
The proposal has already been approved by the Constitution and Justice Committee and is currently under review by the special committee. Mendonça Filho stated that he expects to present his report by the end of November, although he may deliver it earlier. "Make no mistake, the government will have to concede to stricter measures that contradict the ideological line of the left," said the congressman.
