The deputies who integrate the Parliamentary Front against Corruption, created in 2004, will ask the president of the Chamber, Michel Temer, for priority in the procedures of 68 bills which establish mechanisms or actions combating corruption. They are draft bills, bills of complementary laws and bills of constitutional amendments, and all have the objective to enhance instruments of inspection and harden the penalties for those committing corruption-related crimes.

According to the coordinator of the front, Deputy Paulo Rubem Santiago (PDT-PE), their goal is not only to face corruption, but also to change the structures of inspection. “Corruption has been growing, especially because of that sense of impunity”, he affirmed.

The members of that front will also ask Temer for the release of an institutional campaign on the fight against corruption, made by the Secretariat of Communication of the Chamber, which has been ready since 2007. He explained that the release of the campaign, called “Corruption leaves scars” will show that the Chamber has its own proposal to combat corruption, independently of the possible personal involvement of congresspeople or of the actions of Federal Police.

Their intention is to schedule a meeting with Temer this week. On Tuesday (17), at 2:30 pm, the front will hold a meeting with deputies and bodies supporting this initiative. The group counts currently with 200 deputies.

New front
On Wednesday (4), another group of deputies and senators launched a new front related to that issue – The Anti-Corruption Parliamentary Front. That initiative emerged after an interview with the Senator Jarbas Vasconcelos (PMDB-PE), published at the magazine Veja on February 18th, in which the congressman accuses his colleagues of the same party to agree with acts of corruption and patronage.

Paulo Rubem Santiago affirmed that “his group will not dispute political initiatives with other deputies”. He reminded, though, that the group has already been working for five years. “We are open to the participation of other congresspeople, independently on the political affiliation or on motivations related to conjunctures or structures”.

The Deputy Chico Alencar (Psol-RJ), who is also a member of the front created in 2004, explained that the group’s intention is to also actuate inside the Chamber, calling for a more active Magistrate and Ombudsman at the House. He reminded that only at the Magistrate there are 17 idle requests for investigation. “We will make sure they are concluded”.

Report - Geórgia Moraes
Editing - Paulo Cesar Santos
Translation – Positive Idiomas Ltda