By Ségolène Poirier, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Senate committee that is drafting the text of the new Criminal Code approved, on Friday, a proposal which allows that companies involved in corruption against the government be held criminally liable.
Currently, only the individuals involved in the company’s wrongdoing are punished criminally, leaving the company able to continue in the illegal activity as representatives are peeled away.
Now the penalties for corporations convicted range from community service and fines, to the ban for up to one year to establish contracts with state enterprises, to participate in bids, to obtain bank financing and even loss goods and values.
The committee chairman, the minister of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), Gilson Dipp, declined comment on whether the builder Delta, involved in the scandal of Carlinhos Cachoeira, would fit in this situation if the rules were adopted in place.
Dipp, who was chosen on Thursday by President Rousseff to be part of the National Truth Commission, explained: “Brazil is lagging behind the European countries, including Portugal, by virtue of a doctrine, which in my opinion is still very retrograded.”
Read more (in Portuguese).
* The Rio Times Daily Update is a new feature we are offering to help keep you up-to-date with major news as it happens.
Read More from The Rio Times