Anti-Corruption Legislation Cast Aside by Brazil's Congress

02/26/2018 - 10h44

Considered to be among the most significant anti-corruption bills in Brazil, the set of legal measures elaborated by the Operation Lava Jato task force and handed over to Congress in 2016 was cast aside and chances that it will be implemented in 2018 are very remote.

The proposed legislation was a grassroots initiative that arose from a campaign organized by the Public Prosecutor's Office and was presented to Congress in March of 2016, back when impeachment proceedings against Dilma Rousseff (PT) were taking place and Operation Lava Jato had reached its apex, tarnishing the political class.

During a controversial session in November of 2016, the lower house of Congress significantly altered the proposed legislation, but other than that, approval of the bill has not inched forward.

Among the proposals were changes in legislation that would lead to speedier trials as well as harsher punishments.

During the congressional session, controversial aspects of the legislation were revised.

Senators who had the support of members of the lower house proposed their own legislation which partially contemplated the measures that had originally been proposed.

However, procedures to approve the bills in either house have been put on pause.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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