Brazil's House Speaker: No Consensus Yet on Misogyny Bill Backed by First Lady

A push to criminalize misogyny in Brazil faces significant hurdles, with the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta, announcing a lack of consensus for an immediate vote. The bill, strongly supported by First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva, known as Janja, aims to equate misogyny with racism, a crime that is not subject to bail or statute of limitations.

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There is no consensus to put the bill criminalizing misogyny to a vote.

Despite advocacy from Janja and Minister of Women Márcia Lopes, concerns persist among lawmakers. Motta highlighted apprehension from the Evangelical Parliamentary Front regarding the practicalities of proving misogyny to secure a conviction. He indicated that other, more consensual proposals, such as the Fuel Bill, might take precedence for voting this week.

The legislative process has already seen delays, with the misogyny bill initially postponed in July. The path to a floor vote requires approval from party leaders, but a crucial meeting was interrupted when a key deputy, Pedro Uczai, fell ill. This prevented the discussion of the misogyny bill by the leadership.

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Misogyny is a priority for the Chamber of Deputies. We want to have a debate within the college of leaders.

The proposed legislation, authored by Ana Paula Lobato, is part of the government's broader initiative to combat gender-based violence, specifically through the National Pact Committee Against Femicide. However, the current political climate and procedural delays suggest its passage remains uncertain.

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I cannot yet confirm that the misogyny bill will be voted on this week, because I depend on the deliberation of the college of leaders. It is important to highlight that there is concern, mainly from the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, about how the crime of misogyny will be proven to be punished.