Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he now supports lowering the age of criminal responsibility for “heinous” crimes from 18 to 16. He makes the announcement in an interview with TV Globo ahead of an imminent presidential runoff, presenting it as a change from his earlier position.
Outlet coverage also describes political context and internal uncertainty around the move. The Guardian notes that the reversal comes with the election runoff scheduled for just over a week and is widely viewed as a calculated bid to win support. The Rio Times adds that Lula’s approach includes a condition about legislative handling: he backs the age cut but wants it kept out of the Senate’s security “PEC” process. It also reports divisions within Lula’s camp, with some disagreement tied to timing and pending votes in the Senate.
Other reports focus on Lula’s defense of the proposal, framing it as targeted to the most serious offences while still leaving the legislative pathway unclear.
