In Indonesia, the president said that members of the drug trade are ‘victims’ of users; the statement was made in a context related to Donald Trump’s actions in South America
Opposition parliamentarians reacted vehemently to President Lula’s statement stating that “traffickers are victims of users” during an interview in Indonesia. They classified the comment as a serious disrespect for victims of organized crime and a sign that the government minimizes the seriousness of drug trafficking. The deputy leader of the opposition, deputy Sanderson (PL-RS), stated: “No serious country treats drug traffickers as victims. This distorted view only weakens the fight against crime and puts Brazil on the path to impunity. Lula’s speech is a slap in the face of our police and everyone who fights for a safer country. A criminal is a criminal, and the law needs to be enforced.”
For deputy Rodrigo Valadares (União-SE), the speech reveals a clear inversion of values: “When the head of the Executive says that those who sell drugs are victims of those who buy them, he is trivializing trafficking. This weakens the fight and gives carte blanche to those who act against the State.”
Deputy Coronel Tadeu (PL-SP) highlighted the symbolic impact on public security: “This speech by Lula shows the size of the inversion of values by the current government. While law-abiding citizens live locked up at home in fear, the president is concerned with making a defense speech for drug traffickers. This is disrespectful to Brazilian families and the security forces who risk their lives every day.”
Deputy Captain Alberto Neto (PL-AM) warned of the practical consequences: “While the government talks about victims, users and traffickers continue destroying communities. The president’s speech shows the disregard for the victims and favors the speech of those who commit the crime.” In closing, deputy Rodolfo Nogueira (PL-MS) declared: “You cannot combat crime by saying that the criminal is a victim. While the government chooses to reduce the role of those who sell drugs, thousands of Brazilians suffer from violence. This type of speech weakens the Rule of Law and worsens the feeling of impunity.”
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
