In Brazil, funds earmarked for Federal Police to be disbursed early

Justice Minister Eugênio Aragão announced the government's early disbursement of the funds earmarked in this year's Budget for the Federal Police (PF), so that the law enforcement agency may work with “ease” and free of “political pressure.”

Aragão reported that over the last years the Federal Police operated with autonomy and freedom conducting operations and probes. He talked about the risks that this scenario may be reversed, but refrained from mentioning the political uncertainties facing the government with the impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff. On Tuesday (Apr. 26), the minister had declared the police body will not depend on the political class to be functional.

In a speech held during the installation ceremony of the National Council for Indigenous Policy, Aragão stressed that “taking into account the risks that this may be reversed, the government has taken a very clear action. It will release the funds so that the Federal Police may work with ease and free of political pressure. This should be instrumental for us to successfully hold those who have availed themselves of or diverted public funds accountable for their action,” Aragão stated.

The minister added that the Federal Police should be more autonomous from the Justice Ministry, and that administrative efforts should be made in order to meet this goal. He failed to specify, however, what these efforts could be.

“We still believe that an organization which legally holds the State's monopoly of violence must stay under strict control. But does not concern its persecutory actions, which are under judicial supervision and are also overseen by the Public Prosecution Office. Rather, this control focuses on its administrative organization,” he explained.

The Justice Minister went on to highlight that President Rousseff was constitutionally elected to serve her term up to the end of 2018. In his view, those who talk about the end of the government are associated with the coup. In his view, the country is currently experiencing a class struggle.

“We're facing what was perfectly predictable—what can be clearly described as a class struggle. It's a moment of class struggle in which we must not step back—or we'll be defeated. We don't want that. By simply fighting and resisting, we're making clear that we have a future. We aim for a better future for Brazilian men and women,” the minister said.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira