World
BRASIL PT leader backs lowering Brazil’s age of criminal responsibility to 16 for heinous crimes
Camilo Santana put forward the proposal in the Senate as a response to a broader opposition push. The measure is set for debate as the presidential campaign enters its final stretch.
Camilo Santana, the PT’s leader in Brazil’s Senate, has proposed changing the public security constitutional amendment so that the age of criminal responsibility would be set at 16 in cases involving heinous crimes, O Globo reported.
The matter is on the Senate floor agenda for Thursday the 15th. According to O Globo, Santana’s move came in response to an amendment introduced by opposition senator Rogério Marinho, which would lower the age to 16 for most crimes and to 14 for a list of serious offenses.
O Globo said that list includes heinous crimes, torture, drug trafficking, terrorism, criminal organization and criminal association. The outlet also reported that senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro signed the opposition amendment and publicly defended the change during a campaign event in Porto Alegre.
Lowering the age of criminal responsibility was not included in the version of the security amendment approved by the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee. O Globo reported that the opposition plans to try to add it during the floor debate through a separate vote.
The newspaper noted that government-aligned lawmakers have historically opposed such a change, arguing that it would further strain Brazil’s prison system and put young offenders in direct contact with criminal gangs. It also mentioned legal objections raised by pro-government sectors, which argue that the change would affect constitutional fundamental rights and guarantees.
The debate comes 10 days before the presidential runoff. A Quaest poll cited by O Globo found 61% support for lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 16.
O Globo added that the public security amendment would enshrine the Unified Public Security System in the Constitution, with the aim of integrating the work of security forces against organized crime. Passage requires at least 49 votes in each of two rounds.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
