Senate Passes the Security PEC Unanimously, 75 to 0. Brazil Wins
The Lula government's proposal writes the Unified Public Security System into the Constitution, shields security money from freezes and toughens sentences for gang and militia bosses. It goes straight to promulgation. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility was left out and will move separately.
Adapted translation of the Portuguese original. Read the original.
CartoonSeventy-five senators voted. Seventy-five voted yes. On Tuesday (November 3), the Senate approved in a second round the Public Security PEC, the constitutional amendment (PEC) that the Lula government sent to Congress. In the first round, it had been 73 to 0. Every party gave a recommendation in favor, from the PT to the PL. Since the Chamber of Deputies had already approved it, the text goes straight to promulgation.
What changes
Public security gains, for the first time, a national system written into the Constitution: the Unified Public Security System, or Susp. State, municipal and federal police gain a legal basis to share information, integrate databases and set up joint task forces.
The money also changes status. The National Public Security Fund and the Penitentiary Fund enter the Constitution, protected from freezes, and half of the funds must go to the states and the Federal District, according to the approved text. Security will also receive 10% of the Social Fund surplus, phased in gradually.
Against organized crime, the PEC toughens the rules for those who lead a gang, militia or paramilitary group: sentences in maximum-security prisons, limits on progression of regime and on conditional release, asset forfeiture and liability for companies used by crime. Whistleblowers and their families gain protection, and victims, especially women, gain guarantees of assistance and access to justice.
The text also allows municipalities to create municipal police forces, with rules on training, financial capacity and oversight; extends the Federal Highway Police to federal railways and waterways; and creates the Penal Policy System, with the duties of the penal police.
What was left out
The opposition tried to hang a lower age of criminal responsibility on the PEC. The amendment by Rogério Marinho, of the PL from Rio Grande do Norte, lowered the age to 16 in general and to 14 for heinous crimes and drug trafficking. The rapporteur, Rogério Carvalho, of the PT from Sergipe, asked that the topic be split off, because there was “strong doctrinal and political divergence” and the change would prevent immediate promulgation. He won by 38 to 36. The age of criminal responsibility will go forward as its own proposal.
Marinho complained that the floor was being “muted.” The government leader, Teresa Leitão, of the PT from Pernambuco, summed up the final score: “The political fight over the security PEC does not exist.”
Who wins
The PEC was one of the priorities Lula took to Congress after the election. Last week, in announcing that the PT will support the reappointment of Davi Alcolumbre, of the União Brasil from Amapá, to the Senate presidency, the president asked for effort precisely on passing this text, as Abestadão reported here.
The result is rare in Brasília: government and opposition voting together, without a single vote against. Public security stops depending only on each governor and gets a national rule, protected money and accountability for gang bosses. Who wins is Brazil.
Sources
- Senado aprova PEC da Segurança Pública sem redução da maioridade penal
PEC 18/2025, from the Executive, with Rogério Carvalho (PT-SE) as rapporteur, was approved with 73 votes in the first round and 75 in the second, with no votes against, and goes to promulgation. It puts the Susp in the Constitution, shields FNSP, Funpen and Funapol from freezes, earmarks for security 10% of the Social Fund surplus, allows municipal police, extends the PRF to railways and waterways, creates the Penal Policy System and toughens rules for gangs and militias. The split-off of the age of criminal responsibility passed 38 to 36.
- Senado aprova PEC da Segurança Pública em dois turnos, texto vai à promulgação
Every party recommended a yes vote. The text guarantees that 50% of the National Public Security Fund and the Penitentiary Fund go to states and the Federal District, and suspends the political rights of pretrial detainees while in custody.
