The current Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, has complained to allies about the difficulties they have been facing in executing their own public security agenda. At least one of them, former minister Raul Jungmann, confirmed the former minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF)’s frustration at having to deal with politics instead of imposing a top-down decision, as he did in the Judiciary.
Lewandowski was minister of the country’s highest court for 17 years, but retired and is now part of the government at Lula’s invitation since the beginning of the year, replacing Flávio Dino who went to the STF.
“He expressed discomfort at not having national coordination to combat organized crime. He told me: ‘I feel helpless with the current structure I have,’” Jungmann said in an interview with the newspaper The Globe published this Sunday (10).
The complaint refers to the lack of a legislative rule that gives the Union control over public security, which is a constitutional responsibility of the states and the Federal District. This is the core of the proposal that Lewandowski is creating at the request of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) for the so-called Security PEC, which intends to assign the Union the coordination of forces to combat organized crime.
The Proposed Amendment to the Constitution – the only way to change legislation on public security – has not even been written and is already the target of criticism, mainly from opposition governors, who see the government wanting to interfere in the states’ police forces.
Although the government denies that this will happen, the question has been raised. Lula even had a meeting with the 27 governors and representatives – many did not attend – to present the proposal.
“Today, the minister [Lewandowski] Call a public security secretary and tell them what the government’s priority is. He hangs up the phone, and the secretary does what he wants, because he has no legal basis to force him”, said Jungmann.
Raul Jungmann, in fact, was “extraordinary minister” of Public Security during the government of Michel Temer (MDB), an assignment that was later included in the Justice portfolio.
Lula even studied the re-creation of an exclusive ministry for public security, but Dino convinced him otherwise. And Lewandowski followed the same guidance.
In addition to the difficulty in dealing with state and DF security forces, Lewandowski also finds himself faced with a lack of resources for the Federal Police’s newest assignment: managing, inspecting and controlling weapons in the country, with more than one million collectors, sports shooters and hunters (CACs).
The PF is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and he himself, together with the corporation’s general director, Andrei Passos Rodrigues, demanded more resources and agents to be able to carry out this new assignment from next year.
“Of course, we lack resources, people and agents to fulfill this role more efficiently. We are optimistic. Minister Esther Dweck (Management and Innovation in Public Service) has already promised us a competition for administrative employees this year, we are also waiting for a competition for more police officers and we also expect more resources”, said Lewandowski last Tuesday (5) to GloboNews.
The request for more resources, however, comes amid the preparation of the spending cut package that should be announced this week and that should affect all ministries. In addition to Lewandowski, Defense Minister José Múcio Monteiro has also been asking Lula for more resources for the Armed Forces.
