Senate Approves Bill that Transforms Corruption into Heinous Crime

06/27/2013 - 08h26

Two days after President Dilma Rousseff proposed a national pact to address the clamor of the streets, the Supreme Court and Congress strengthened Wednesday the package of measures prepared by the three branches of government in response to the demonstrations that swept over the country.

For the first time since the end of the dictatorship, the Supreme Court ordered the immediate arrest of a congressman - Natan Donadon (PMDB), convicted in 2010 for embezzlement in the Assembly of Rondônia (a state in northern Brazil).

In Congress, the Senate approved a bill that transforms corruption and common murder into heinous crimes, toughening the sentences. The bill still has to be voted on the House of Representatives, which in committee also approved a bill that ends the secret ballots for impeachment parliamentarians.

The proposal also increases the minimum sentences for five crimes against the public administration. The minimum punishment for those convicted of giving or receiving bribes, embezzlement and graft (requiring undue advantage) and excessive exaction (improper collection of taxes for purposes of corruption) goes from two to four years, according the bill.

With the change, those convicted of these crimes lose this right to post bail to leave prison, and will also have more difficulties to get probation and move from full incarceration to the semi-open system, for example.

The bill has been working its way through the Senate since 2011, but got onto the Senate agenda after the protests. In an uncommon practice during the Brazilian soccer team games, senators kept to the work routine and ensured the vote.

On Wednesday, Rousseff announced she will send to Congress the suggestion of calling the plebiscite for political reform. The public and private financing of elections will be one of the items of on the agenda.

Translated by DAVE WOLIN

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