Brazil's Senate passes a constitutional amendment on public security, dropping a lower age of criminal responsibility

Brazil's Senate approved the Public Security constitutional amendment, PEC 18/2025, on 3 November 2026 by 73 to 0 and 75 to 0 in its two rounds, according to Senado Notícias. It writes the Unified Public Security System (Susp) into the Constitution, sets rules for municipal police forces, extends the Federal Highway Police's remit to federal railways and waterways, toughens prison rules and asset confiscation for members of criminal factions and militias, and protects the national security, penitentiary and police funds from blocking and diversion. Agência Brasil reports that 50% of the national public security and penitentiary funds would go to states and municipalities, excluding the national penitentiary police's running and investment costs from the penitentiary fund. Amendments to lower the age of criminal responsibility were split off by 38 votes to 36, to be processed as a separate constitutional amendment. The text goes to promulgation.

The rapporteur, Rogério Carvalho (PT), argued that changes would delay promulgation and the response to urgent public needs. The amendment centralises a national framework for policing in a federal state and gives municipalities a formal policing role, an approach other countries facing organised crime are weighing.