Flávio Bolsonaro participates in Senate vote and supports Security PEC, even in the US

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) returned to participate in the activities of the Federal Senate even though he was in the Estados Unidos. On Tuesday, the MP used the remote voting system to register presence and support the Proposal to Amend the Constitution (PEC) of Public Security, unanimously approved by the senators who participated in the vote.

It was Flávio’s first participation in a plenary session since he left Brazil last week. The senator left the country after losing the second round of the presidential elections to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), amid a determination of the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) to hand over his passports to the Federal Police.

The vote took place in a semi-presential format, a modality that allows parliamentarians to follow the discussions and vote without physically attending the plenary. The result was 73 votes in favor in the first round and 75 in the second round, with no demonstrations against the main text.

Senator remains in the US and faces investigations

The stay of Flávio Bolsonaro in U.S. territory occurs while the parliamentarian is the target of investigations in STF.

One of the findings involves suspected money laundering related to the sports betting market, known as bets. The case also involves lawyer Willer Tomaz. The investigations are still ongoing, and do not represent condemnation of those investigated.

Before leaving Brazil, Flavio had been the target of a decision by Minister Alexandre de Moraes that determined the delivery of his passports and restricted his exit from the national territory.

The senator claims to be a victim of political persecution and uses this argument to justify his stay abroad.

Although he has not previously communicated the trip to the Board of Directors of the Senate, Flavio continues to exercise the mandate, whose end is scheduled for the beginning of 2027.

How did Flávio Bolsonaro vote on Security PEC?

In addition to supporting the main text of the proposal, Flávio Bolsonaro voted in favor of Amendment No. 85, submitted by Senator Carlos Portinho (PL-RJ).

The measure allows resources of the National Public Security Fund to be allocated to Forças Armadas in specific operations, including dealing with border crimes, environmental crimes, and law and order enforcement actions.

The MP, however, opposed the separation of amendments related to the reduction of the penal age. The request submitted by the rapporteur, Rogério Carvalho (PT-SE), was approved by 38 votes to 36.

With the decision, proposals to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 or 14 years were outside the main PEC and could be analyzed separately.

The approved proposal seeks to strengthen the joint action of the security forces of the Union, the states, the Federal District and the municipalities, expanding cooperation in the fight against organized crime.

Remote participation raises questions

The possibility of Flávio Bolsonaro continuing to participate in legislative decisions even outside Brazil also came into question judicially.

A popular action filed with the courts asks for the suspension of the payment of salaries and cabinet funds of the parliamentary because of his departure from the country.

One of those responsible for the initiative, lawyer Leonardo Nicolau Passos Marinho, argues that the absence of prior authorization from the Senate for the trip should be considered in the analysis of the case.

In the lawyer’s assessment, remote participation in the vote does not eliminate questions about the senator’s stay in the Estados Unidos and the fulfillment of his parliamentary obligations.

Until the release of the information released on Wednesday, there was no confirmation of a Senate decision preventing Flávio Bolsonaro from using the remote deliberation system.

The situation keeps in discussion the continuity of the exercise of the mandate at a distance and the possible administrative and judicial developments involving the parliamentary.

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