Opposition presses by amnesty and end of the privileged forum after protest in Congress
After two days of obstruction, the pocket opposition in the House of Representatives vacated the board of directors on Wednesday night after an agreement with the president of the house, Hugo Motta (Republicans-PB).
According to PL leader, Deputy Sostenes Cavalcante (RJ), Motta’s commitment was not to block the vote of two priority projects for the group: the end of the privileged forum and amnesty to the defendants of January 8.
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Although Hugo Motta’s allies deny that he guaranteed the project’s agenda, they confirm that he pledged to respect the will of the college of leaders. The possibility of advancement of the subjects is already discussed by parties such as PL, PP, União Brasil, PSD and Novo.
Understand what the two projects defended by the opposition say:
End of the privileged forum
The proposal is a reaction to the change of understanding of the Supreme Court, which recently decided to maintain actions against former courts in the Court provided that the crimes were committed during the exercise of the mandate. In practice, the measure ensures that Jair Bolsonaro (PL) continues to be tried in the Supreme, even after leaving the presidency.
The PEC under discussion ends the privileged forum for parliamentarians in cases of common crimes such as corruption, money laundering and obstruction of justice.
If approved, deputies and senators would be tried by first instance judges, such as any citizen.
The proposal has already been approved by the Senate in 2017, but has been stopped in the House since 2018. Now, the opposition presses for Hugo Motta to put the text by voting.
Amnesty project
The second project defends the broad, general and unrestricted amnesty for all involved in the scammers of 8 January 2023 – including prisoners, investigated and already convicted by the Federal Supreme Court.
According to the plaintiffs, the defendants were victims of excess judiciary and cannot be treated as scammers. The justification is that many have participated in peaceful demonstrations and are being punished disproportionately.
For the ruling base and center parties, however, the project is seen as an affront to the rule of law and attempt to review the judicial liability of criminal acts.
The opposition tries to accelerate the project and sees a window of opportunity if Altineu Côrtes (PL-RJ), 1st vice-president of the House and Ally of Bolsonaro, assumes the presidency of the house in any absences of Hugo Motta.
