Good morning! An investigation into the Senate to spark tensions in Brasília. How companies remain unaware of the General Data Protection Law. OECD slashes growth projections for Latin America’s top 3 economies. (This newsletter is for platinum subscribers only. Become one now!)
Police operation on government whip to spark crisis
Yesterday’s Federal Police operation targeting Senator Fernando Bezerra—President Jair Bolsonaro’s whip in the Senate—should increase friction between the three branches of power in Brazil. Authorized by the Supreme Court, federal marshals carried out search and seizure operations in addresses used by the senator, who is suspected of favoring construction companies in infrastructure projects in exchange for BRL 5.5 million in kickbacks.
Why it matters. Mr. Bezerra is the government’s top negotiator in the Senate, where the main decisions in national politics will take place in the upcoming months. The upper house of Congress will vote on the pension reform bill, debate a tax reform, and confirm President Bolsonaro’s pick for prosecutor general. Moreover, if the president does go ahead with choosing his son Eduardo for the job of ambassador to the U.S., the Senate must green-light the decision.
Senate-government relations. Senate President Davi Alcolumbre lashed out at the Federal Police...