There were street protests in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and some other cities in June against conservative-backed proposals which, if approved by Congress, would equate abortion to homicide. Unlike many other Latin American countries where abortion is legal, in Brazil it is highly restricted and is only allowed when the mother has been raped, if there is risk to her life, or if there is a diagnosis of foetal brain abnormality. Outside those three very tightly defined cases a woman who undergoes an abortion currently faces criminal prosecution and a jail sentence of up to three years.

The protests are a reaction against Draft Law 1904 (PL 1994/2024), presented by a far-right deputy and evangelical pastor, Sóstenes Cavalcante, which would make abortion law even more restrictive. The draft equates abortion to homicide establishing that women who terminate their pregnancies after 22 weeks could be found guilty of ’simple homicide’ and jailed for 6-20 years. The new law would apply even in cases of rape, or to under-age girls. Critics have pointed out that the maximum penalty for rape is ten years which is less than is that now being proposed for women who terminate their pregnancies. According to existing crime data children under the age of 13 make up more than 60% of rape victims in the country. 

In a country — which has active, powerful and often socially conservative Catholic and evangelical churches — successive governments have tried to avoid abortion becoming an electoral issue. This year, however, it could become exactly that in the run-up to October’s municipal elections. São Paulo’s mayor Ricardo Nunes — perhaps trying to appeal to conservative religious sentiment — has announced the closure of the abortion clinic at the city’s main public hospital. 

Meanwhile, Chamber of Deputies speaker, Arthur Lira, has set up a special commission to allow an ‘unhurried’ debate on the subject. Feminist and pro-abortion groups fear this is no more than a tactic to keep the issue alive until the October election. President Lula has generally avoided talking about abortion but Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeidas said that the government would oppose PL 1994 which he described as ‘immoral.’ 

The July 2024 issue of Brazil Focus also includes the following:

Politics

• Lula kicks off a tour of key cities
• Core supporters remain faithful to Bolsonaro
• Cannabis ruling revives Supreme Court – Congress tensions 
• Abortion polemic likely to influence municipal elections

Taking the Pulse

• Mentioning the unmentionable

Foreign Relations

• Regional trouble with Argentina and Bolivia
• Brazil backs idea of an international tax on billionaires

Security

• Brazil’s Army commander in Beijing
• Public opinion considers crime to be a rising threat
• New initiative on intelligence sharing

Economy & Business

• Fitch Ratings highlights fiscal challenges
• Who will replace BCB’s Campos Neto?
• Congress considers sales tax exemptions
• New Harvest Plan is launched 
• Central Bank increases this year’s growth forecast
• Former Lojas Americanas executive arrested
• Sabesp sale likely to be this year’s largest privatisation
• G10 seeks to bring banking to the shanty towns

Environment

• Brazil’s wetlands are on fire
• IBAMA sues Syngenta over chemicals use
• Climate change threatens road network

Energy Sector

• State-ownership of refineries back in fashion 
• Not-so green hydrogen
• Norway’s Hydro in push for ‘green aluminium’ drive