Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies takes first step toward privatizing Postal Service

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The government had delivered the text to Congress in February this year, aiming to open the market to competition by breaking the postal service monopoly.

Under the urgent status, the matter can be voted on in coming sessions, without having to go through committees. The text becomes a priority and will be evaluated directly by the plenary, as foreseen in the internal regulations. Afterwards, if passed, it will proceed to the Senate.

“This bill was sent here, it has a deadline, and today we are only discussing the urgency of the vote, so that we may appoint the rapporteur,” said Chamber president Arthur Lira (PP-AL). With the matter on the agenda, it will be possible to debate the “best text and the best solution,” he explained. Without this, he said, “it would reach the expiration date without any kind of debate.”

Deputy Gil Cutrim (Republicanos-MA) will be the bill’s rapporteur, Lira announced. It will be Cutrim’s job to present an opinion on the matter, which will be voted on by deputies. In the plenary, he argued the need to deepen the subject and assured that he will not build a “rushed” report. It will be necessary to “listen to the people,” he said.

Throughout the discussion, the deputies diverged on the need for urgency. MDB party, for example, was against the request. For deputy Isnaldo Bulhões (MDB-AL), who directed the bench, in addition to not being an urgent issue, there is no defined calendar for the discussion. “It is essential to have a minimum agenda to address the issue,” he said.

For deputy Édio Lopes (PL-RR), the discussion has “matured” enough to be put on the agenda. But, although he voted in favor of the urgency of the matter, he made it clear that, in the substance, “the PL will work for the defense of the interest of the national patrimony and for the protection of the institutions’ workers.”

Criticism

The entire opposition has positioned itself against the urgency of the matter, understanding that there is no reason to discuss it, especially at a time like the present, amid the worsening of the Covid-19 pandemic. “This matter is not urgent enough to be discussed, especially at this time when we are facing a pandemic,” said deputy Bira do Pindaré (PSB-MA).

In addition, the deputy pointed out that the company is strategic and profitable, so that, in his view, “it makes no sense” to put the issue on the agenda. Opposition legislators consider that the bill paves the way for the sale of Correios “at a bargain price,” as defined by deputy Talíria Petrone (PSol-RJ).

“The vaccine should be the only urgent agenda,” added deputy Perpétua Almeida (PCdoB-AC), who pointed out that the bill can be considered unconstitutional. “The federal government’s obligation to maintain the postal service is in the Constitution. This project will inevitably fall in the Supreme Court, guardian of our Constitution,” she believes.

Source: Exame

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