Lula backs lowering Brazil's criminal responsibility age to 16 for serious offenses
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he supports reducing the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 for heinous crimes.
During a televised interview, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva affirmed his support for lowering Brazil's minimum age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 for heinous crimes. He argued that this change should be considered separately from a government-backed public safety bill currently before the Senate, which was postponed due to disagreements over the age issue. Opposition lawmakers, among them Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, have advocated not only for a reduction to 16 but also for an even lower age of 14 for violent offenses.
Lula emphasized that the criminal-age amendment is a distinct matter from the broader safety legislation. The debate unfolds ahead of the October 25 runoff, where Lula will contest Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who unexpectedly led the first round.
Why it matters
The proposal could reshape Brazil's juvenile justice system and influence the upcoming presidential runoff.
How this story developed
- Oct 4 Portugal sees alcohol dependence surge while Brazil heads to tightly contested election
- Oct 4 First round of voting produced no candidate with over 50%, making a runoff likely.
- Oct 5 First‑round results show Flávio Bolsonaro ahead with 47.1% and Lula at 45%, triggering a runoff on Oct 25.
- Oct 5 Senator Flavio Bolsonaro said the recent vote gave the right a dominant majority in Brazil's Senate and Chamber of Deputies.
- Oct 6 Flavio Bolsonaro secured a first‑round victory, making him the runoff frontrunner.
- Oct 9 Augusto Cury announced he will vote for Bolsonaro in the runoff.
- Oct 10 Former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema and former President Michel Temer publicly endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro.
- Oct 13 Senator Flavio Bolsonaro announced he will vote for a constitutional amendment that cuts Brazil’s standard workweek from 44 to 40 hours, reversing his party’s previous opposition.
- Oct 16 Senate ratified the constitutional amendment following Senator Flavio Bolsonaro’s earlier announcement of support.
- Oct 16 A new Datafolha poll released Thursday shows Bolsonaro maintaining a narrow lead over Lula within the margin of error.
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