It is no secret that Operation Car Wash—the sweeping corruption investigation which has hit private and state-owned companies in Brazil, as well as prominent politicians—has its supporters and detractors. Despite dismantling some high-level corruption schemes in the country, prosecutors and judges involved in the operation have been criticized for overstepping their bounds in investigations, claims corroborated by The Intercept‘s leaks of private messages between key Car Wash figures.
It is in this context that Congress has approved legislation known as the Abuse of Office Bill, seeking to define criminal and administrative punishments for officials who don’t play by the...