Brazil’s lower House passes bill criminalizing ‘discrimination against politicians’

Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies has passed a controversial bill titled “Project of Law (PL) 2.720/2023”, aimed at criminalizing “discrimination against politicians”.

The bill, pushed forward by Dani Cunha of the União Brasil party and reported by Claudio Cajado of PP-BA, pertains to the “discrimination against politically exposed persons in instances of refusal to open or maintain an account in financial institutions”.

The bill passed with the support of 252 deputies, with 163 opposing. The legislation now heads to the Senate for review.

The proposed penalties include fines and a potential prison sentence of two to four years.

The bill categorizes several political roles as “politically exposed persons”, including state and federal deputies, senators, mayors, state ministers, ministers of the judiciary, and attorneys general.

Arthur Lira, President of the Chamber of Deputies, publicly supported the bill, pushing for its urgency.

Lira suggested that without the legislation, parliamentarians would continue to face harassment in public spaces.

Despite its approval in the Chamber, the bill has faced heavy criticism.

Deputy Abilio Brunini noted that laws already exist to punish discrimination and prejudice, making the special law for politicians unnecessary.

Additionally, Marcel van Hattem pointed out the bill’s overreach in punishing those who discriminate and providing credit facilitation for politically exposed persons.

He warned that the provision could aid fraudsters and convicted criminals.