New Bill: Brazilians Abroad may Vote for Federal Deputies and Senators

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilians living abroad have part of their rights curtailed, particularly in the Brazilian electoral system. The problem dates back to 1965 when the country’s most recent electoral law was published.

The current law entitles Brazilians living abroad to vote only in elections for president and vice president. For other governmental positions, such as the Senate, Chamber of Deputies and others, voting is not permitted. However, that may change soon.

A bill, written by Senator Jorginho Melo of the Liberal Party, extending this right to the majority of other political offices, is being considered by the Federal Senate.

For the founder of Casa do Brasil in London, Carlos Mellinger, this is a legal right. “Democracy was being taken away from Brazilians.” According to him, “about four million Brazilians live abroad,” most of them informally.

The “undocumented”, to use a common term in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, may register with consulates to be entitled to vote, but according to Mellinger, most prefer anonymity because they do not feel safe, and fear being deported.

Bolsonaro was Victorious Abroad

However, more than 500,000 Brazilians are eligible to vote abroad, as they did in last year’s elections. At the time, Jair Bolsonaro received almost 60 percent of the votes of Brazilians abroad, in an overwhelming victory where the sum of the other candidates’ votes did not reach half this amount.

Recently, Carlos Mellinger delivered a letter to President Bolsonaro, in which he requested a revision of the law so that Brazilians could vote for other offices. Mellinger also met with deputies and senators, in addition to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

However, it was in Senator Jorginho Mello’s office that the idea was most appealing. The senator considers as fundamental the broad right of Brazilians abroad.

“Why not vote for a senator, federal deputy, state and district deputy? It’s a matter of adjusting the technology. This project of mine is in line with the wishes of these Brazilians who are abroad. It’s an opportunity that we’re giving to Brazilian voters, who have a passion for Brazil, who are abroad, to participate in the democratic process here,” says the senator.

“We are delighted that Brazilians living outside Brazil have full citizenship rights and that we choose the people who will seek the best for our well-being while living abroad, and also for all people who are thinking of returning to Brazil to find a better country,” said Mellinger in a recent video posted on his Youtube channel, recorded at the request of The Rio Times.

Watch below a video of what Senator Jorginho Mello has to say about the bill.

The bill is in progress in the Federal Senate, currently being processed by the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ). Every Brazilian has the right to express his opinion about the project, which, while it is in progress, remains open to “public consultation”.

Council of Brazilians Abroad

In May of this year, Carlos Mellinger was in Brasíilia when he held several meetings with the authorities, attempting to reestablish the Council of Brazilians Abroad (CRBE), which was extinguished by President Jair Bolsonaro. At the time, among the meetings, the most representative was at the Palácio do Planalto, when he had a hearing with a presidential advisor, who received the claims. Mellinger also handed President Bolsonaro a letter with the request. However, so far, the CRBE remains extinct.

The CRBE was an official department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until last year, with representatives of Brazilians abroad from all continents.

At the time, after a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Luiza Lopes, who is responsible for Brazilian communities abroad, suggested that Carlos Mellinger contact the general coordinator of CRBE, Marcos Viana, who then officially appointed him as the group’s delegate.