Lula backs lowering criminal responsibility age to 16 for heinous crimes
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he supports lowering Brazil's age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 for heinous crimes. He stated the position in an Oct. 15 interview with TV Globo journalist Renata Lo Prete. When asked whether he meant 16, he answered "yes." The Guardian G1
Lula and his party had previously always opposed lowering the age. He repeated the new position in an Instagram post focused on heinous crimes. In that post, he said "public security is serious and must be treated with responsibility without distorting the debate." Instagram
The post is labeled as electoral propaganda for the Brasil pronto pra mais coalition. Under Brazilian law, heinous crimes include murder, rape, falsification of medicines and drug trafficking. About one-quarter of Brazil's 816,000 prison inmates were held for drug trafficking. The Guardian
An opinion poll that week found 80% of Brazilians support lowering the age of criminal responsibility. Lula faces far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro in Brazil's presidential runoff. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, finished the first round with a 2.2 million-vote lead over Lula.
A CNT/MDA poll released Oct. 16 put Flávio Bolsonaro at 46.8% against 45.9% for Lula. A Datafolha survey published Oct. 15 put Flávio Bolsonaro ahead 51% to 49% of valid votes, excluding blank and null ballots. Al Jazeera Bloomberg
Flávio Bolsonaro and his father support lowering the age to 14 rather than 16. PT leader Camilo Santana has proposed 16 for heinous crimes.
