Brazil's Senate clears the Public Security amendment, writing the Susp into the Constitution

3 November 2026

Brazil's Federal Senate on Tuesday passed PEC 18/2025, the proposal known as the Public Security amendment. The vote was unanimous, 73 in the first round and 75 in the second, so the amendment now goes for promulgation. It was sent by the Executive and cleared under a special calendar that waived the usual waiting periods. Its central change is to write the Sistema Unico de Seguranca Publica (Susp) into the Constitution. The text also widens the federal government's role in policing, lays down rules for setting up municipal police forces, and brings in stricter measures against members of criminal factions and militias, along with victim protection and more money for public security. Amendments that would have lowered the age of criminal responsibility were split off and will travel as a separate proposal; that split passed 38 votes to 36. Rapporteur Rogerio Carvalho turned down other changes so the text would not have to return to the Chamber of Deputies.