"Reformers" have pushed for a number of ill-conceived policies in America, but so far none of them seem as ill-conceived as the Brazilian law detailed in this Reuters story. Apparently there was concern that incumbents might try to hang onto political power by arresting political opponents and keeping them locked up until after the election. To combat these tactics–which Reuters, somewhat understatedly, refers to as "heavy-handed"–they passed a law that prohibits anybody from being arrested during the period five days before or two days after an election, unless the police catch them in the act.
As one might imagine, the law has had some unforeseen–though hardly unforeseeable–consequences:
"A Brazilian law designed to ensure fair elections has kept police from arresting a 23-year-old law student who confessed to hiring hitmen to kill his mother.
"Adriano Saddi Lima Oliveira told police he paid 40,000 reais ($18,433) to hitmen who killed his mother Marisa, a real estate tycoon, several months ago, a police investigator told local TV. Oliveira told police his mother was squandering his inheritance going out with her boyfriend."
The story goes on to note that police plan to arrest Oliveira sometime this week, following Brazil’s general elections, which were held on Sunday.
In light of these events, this seems like as good an opportunity as any to make known that–in addition to opposing the regulation of political speech–we at CCP have always strongly opposed matricide.
