RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro said yesterday, September 2nd, that he will veto nine of the ten points of the Abuse of Authority Bill, approved in the Chamber of Deputies on August 14th, which was suggested by the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Sergio Moro. “Moro requested ten, nine are guaranteed, I will discuss the latter. Other entities also asked for vetoes, we will analyze,” he said without explaining which are these points.
Bolsonaro had already ruled out the full veto of the project saying there are good points to it. Yesterday, he said that the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP), for example, “on many occasions, there have been abuses. I am a victim. I’ve filed so many lawsuits in the Supreme Court for abuse of authority because that can’t happen. The MP – most [of the prosecutors] – are responsible, but individually some abuse [their authority] there,” he said.
The president has until next Thursday, September 5th to announce the decision, the day on which the 15-working day period for the veto or sanction expires. In the event of a veto, the text returns to the National Congress for analysis, which can maintain or overturn the presidential vetoes.
Under the bill, it may be considered an abuse of authority to obtain evidence by illicit means, to execute a search and seizure order on property, mobilizing vehicles, personnel or weapons ostensibly to expose the investigated person to vexation, to prevent a private encounter between a prisoner and his lawyer, and to decree the coercive conduct of a witness or investigated person without prior notice to appear before a court.