Lula Promises Public Security Ministry at Rio Rally
Brazil · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What happened Lula promised a Public Security Ministry at a campaign rally in Bangu, Rio, on 22 August 2026.
- —The condition The ministry depends on a constitutional amendment stalled in the Senate, per Folha de S.Paulo.
- —The real story The pledge is a campaign promise, not a government act, and no ministry exists yet.
- —The catch The amendment passed the Chamber but needs Senate approval; the current ministry remains Justice and Public Security.
- —What Lula said The government would not ‘kill 100 or 200’ criminals but would arrest them, he told the rally.
- —What comes next Senate vote on the PEC; Lula also pushed the Redata tax-break bill for data centres.
The pledge depends on a constitutional amendment that is currently stalled in the Senate, according to reports from Folha de S. Paulo and G1.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promised to create a Public Security Ministry at a campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday 22 August 2026. The pledge is conditional on Congress approving a constitutional amendment that is currently stalled in the Senate.
Rally in Bangu
According to G1 Rio, Lula spoke at the Bangu Atlético Clube stadium in the Bangu neighbourhood of Rio’s West Zone. The event was a campaign rally, not a government act, as reported by Poder360 and G1 under their election coverage.
The president promised to create a Public Security Ministry, a separate department for security matters, as reported by G1 Rio. This ministry does not exist yet; the current federal department is the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
The rally took place on Saturday 22 August 2026, according to multiple outlets. Meanwhile, the venue is also known as Estádio Moça Bonita, as reported by Diário de Pernambuco.
Constitutional Amendment Needed
The creation of the Public Security Ministry depends on a constitutional amendment, specifically the public security constitutional amendment (PEC da Segurança Pública). This amendment must pass both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate by three-fifths majorities in two rounds each.
The amendment has cleared the Chamber of Deputies; however, it is stalled in the Senate, according to Folha de S. Paulo.
Lula’s government programme states that once the Public Security amendment is approved, they will create the Ministry of Public Security. A PEC is a proposed amendment to Brazil’s constitution, requiring three-fifths majorities in both houses.
As a result, it is not law while it is in progress, according to the definition.
Lula’s Security Promise
At the rally, Lula said, ‘We are not going to put on a carnival, pyrotechnics, kill 100 or 200 [criminals]. We are going to arrest them.
In short, we will say the neighbourhood, school, and bakery belong to the people. It does not belong to the bandits.
That is what we are going to do. This statement was reported by G1 Rio, and it reflects a rejection of lethal raids in favour of arrests.
Poder360’s headline read ‘Lula says the government will not kill 100 or 200, but will arrest. The verbatim quote in Portuguese was published by G1 Rio on 22 August 2026.
However, the square brackets around ‘criminals’ are G1’s own clarification, not Lula’s word.
Criminal Factions
Moreover, Lula promised to remove criminal factions from Rio and give territories back to the people, as reported by G1 política. He said, ‘We are going to take the criminal out of your territory,’ according to Poder360.
The term ‘facção criminosa’ refers to organised criminal groups, the standard Brazilian term for armed gangs that hold territory. Lula’s promise is part of his broader security policy, which he says will prioritise arresting criminals.
Lula’s promise to remove factions is part of his broader security policy, which prioritises arrests. In addition, the term ‘vila’ refers to the community inside a favela, as defined.
Federal Police Training
In addition, Lula intends to expand federal government action against organised crime, as reported by G1 Rio. He also plans to expand the training of the Federal Police and the Federal Highway Police, according to G1 política.
These measures are part of his campaign platform, which he has been presenting at rallies across the country. At his first campaign rally in São Paulo on 16 August 2026, he made a similar promise, according to G1.
These measures aim to expand federal action against organised crime, as reported. Meanwhile, Lula used a similar formulation at his first rally in São Paulo, according to G1.
Energy Revolution
Lula also spoke about energy, promising to carry out Brazil’s ‘energy revolution’ if re-elected, as reported by Poder360. He said few countries have Brazil’s potential for an energy revolution, citing green hydrogen and solar power, according to Diário de Pernambuco.
However, G1 Rio reported the same passage as ‘energy renewal’ (renovação energética), not ‘revolution’. There is no single official formulation, so the discrepancy remains.
Lula’s energy promise is conditional on his re-election, as Poder360 reported. However, the two outlets used different terms for the same passage, so no single official formulation exists.
Data Centres
Lula mentioned a bill called Redata, which stands for the Special Taxation Regime for Data Centre Services. He said, ‘We are going to talk to the National Congress to approve the Redata bill to bring data centres to Brazil.
The Redata bill is a voluntary five-year tax-break scheme for companies that install or modernise data centres in Brazil. It was first issued as a provisional measure in September 2025, but that lapsed.
Instead, the replacement bill awaits Senate approval, per official records. The Redata bill awaits Senate approval, as it is still pending there.
Meanwhile, the government estimates the tax break at around R$5.2 billion (US$1.01 billion) in 2026, per the Chamber news service.
Critical Minerals
According to Diário de Pernambuco, Lula said he has no preference between countries and wants to build partnerships in critical minerals. This is the newspaper’s summary of his remarks, not a direct quotation.
The report does not name any specific country, and no other outlet in the research mentions this topic. Therefore, the details remain limited to that summary.
This summary from Diário de Pernambuco does not name any specific country. Still, it reflects Lula’s stated openness to partnerships in critical minerals.
Public Security Ministry
In short, the Public Security Ministry is a campaign promise that hinges on the public security constitutional amendment. The amendment has passed the Chamber but is stalled in the Senate, so the ministry does not yet exist.
Once the amendment is approved, Lula would create the ministry; however, until then, the existing Ministry of Justice remains responsible. The promise is conditional, and no act creating the ministry has been issued.
The existing Ministry of Justice and Public Security already covers policing and justice. However, the proposed new ministry would be a separate, security-only department carved out from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Public Security Ministry?
The Public Security Ministry is a proposed federal department that would focus solely on security matters. It would be carved out from the existing Ministry of Justice and Public Security, which currently covers both policing and justice.
Why is the Public Security Ministry not created yet?
The creation depends on a constitutional amendment, specifically the public security constitutional amendment (PEC da Segurança Pública). This amendment must pass both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate by three-fifths majorities in two rounds each.
What did Lula say about killing criminals?
Lula said, ‘We are not going to put on a carnival, pyrotechnics, kill 100 or 200 [criminals]. We are going to arrest them.
What is the Redata bill?
Redata is the Special Taxation Regime for Data Centre Services. A voluntary five-year tax-break scheme for companies that install or modernise data centres in Brazil.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Valor; G1; Poder360; Folha de S.Paulo; Correio Braziliense; Diário de Pernambuco; Agência Brasil; Câmara dos Deputados; Senado Federal.
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