Seminar to debate 30 years of the Federal Constitution, in Rio de Janeiro

Event to discuss subjects like austerity, drugs policy and militarisation, organised by Conectas, Abraji and FGV Law School.

Conectas, Abraji and the Getúlio Vargas Foundation Law School hosted the second edition of the seminar “30 years of the Citizens’ Constitution: Progress and Setbacks” on Monday 22. The event was held in the auditorium of the FGV Law School, Praia de Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro.

During the four debates, judges, academics and civil society organisations discussed subjects like the role of the judiciary as guardian of the Constitution, the militarisation of public security and drugs policy, institutional violence and austerity.

Nelson Jobim, former Justice Minister and former President of the Supreme Federal Court, Beatriz Vargas, Law Lecturer at the University of Brasilia, and Michael Freitas Lecturer at the FGV-Rio Law School, participated in the debate on “The judiciary as guardian of the Constitution”. During the debate, the lecturer, Michael Freitas reflected on the challenges of the Supreme Federal Court in the face of distrust in the future legal system in the country. “We see the unresolved past coming to a head in times of fragility, placing our democracy at risk.”

See the full debate.

The external ombudsman of the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender’s Office, Pedro Strozenberg, UFF Lecturer, Jacqueline Muniz and Penal Law Lecturer at FGV-Rio, André Mendes participated in the session on “Right to Life and the Militarisation of Public Security.” During the debate, the UFF Lecturer criticised the use of the armed forces in Rio de Janeiro under the pretext of ensuring public security. Muniz believes the expedient of Guarantee of Law and Order “is being used as a kind of sticking plaster”.

See the full debate.

The Director of the Open Society Foundations Pedro Abramovay and the UFRJ Law Lecturer, Luciana Boiteux participated in the session on “Drugs Policy and Institutional Violence”. In the discussion on drugs policy, Pedro Abramovay spoke on the need to treat the issue of drugs as public health and not security. “Disregarding the Constitution in the case of drugs also affects access to health. (…) When the subject of drugs is on the table, SUS (public health service) closes its doors and seems incapable of treating this as a public health issue.”

See the full debate.

Grazielle David, Political Advisor at Inesc, Pedro Nery, Legislative Consultant in the Federal Senate and Daniel Vargas, Researcher at the Centre for Justice and Society at FGV-Rio Law School were on the panel on “Austerity and Social Rights”. During the debate, Grazielle David criticised the austerity measures imposed by the current government during the economic crisis. “The IMF itself recognises the perverse effects of austerity which should not be applied in times of crisis.”

See the full debate.