Antifaction Bill: Lewandowski considers Derrite’s text unconstitutional, says Motta

Justice Minister, Lewandowski, defended the original project, written by his team at the Justice Ministry and sent by the Planalto to Congress in early November. The meeting took place at Motta’s official residence and lasted 50 minutes. In the minister’s view, the article that conditions the action of the Federal Police to prior communication to ‘state authorities’ or a formal request from the Civil Police would be ‘unconstitutional’. He also deemed the inclusion of crimes committed by factions and militias in the Anti-Terrorism Law as ‘inconsistent’ and lacking effectiveness from a legal standpoint. The initial text by Derrite required ‘joint or coordinated’ action by the Federal Police ‘upon request from the State governor’, which was heavily criticized by PF members and Justice Ministry officials for giving ‘political scrutiny’ to federal agency investigations. Later, the deputy softened this point and submitted the Federal Police’s action to ‘communication to competent state authorities’ or ‘upon reasoned request from the state police delegate or state Public Prosecutor’, which was still seen as problematic.