Only six of the 21 Brazilian political parties summoned by Justice Flávio Dino of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) have responded to questions about whether party leaders help define, manage or distribute congressional budget amendments, according to single-source reporting by CNN Brasil.
The parties that had submitted statements by Friday, July 24, were the Liberal Party (PL), Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), Democratic Labour Party (PDT), Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL).
All six said their national presidents do not hold personal quotas of amendments or possess formal authority to decide where the money goes. Under Brazil’s constitutional and congressional rules, the parties said, lawmakers themselves are responsible for selecting amendments.
Why Dino Opened the Inquiry
The Supreme Court’s questions followed comments by Valdemar Costa Neto, the national president of the PL, in an interview on July 14. Costa Neto said that party presidents also participate in identifying congressional amendments.
The following day, Dino ordered every party with representation in Brazil’s Congress—the bicameral National Congress—to explain how party leadership operates in practice when public funds are allocated.
Dino said that proposing and approving amendments are prerogatives tied to individual congressional mandates. He also said Costa Neto’s remarks required the court to examine whether internal party mechanisms allow leaders to participate in the definition, management, distribution or processing of the funds.
The court gave all party presidents 10 business days to provide the requested information.
Parties’ Statements
The PSOL, PDT, MDB, PSD and PSDB submitted broadly similar responses. They said their national presidents have no quotas or reserved funds, do not authorize or approve amendment requests, and are not granted such powers by internal party rules.
The PL also denied that Costa Neto manages his own amendments, quotas or reserves, or has legal authority to determine their destination. Its statement, however, drew a distinction between a party leader’s political role and the formal acts required under Brazil’s budget legislation.
The party said Costa Neto may receive requests from mayors, governors, lawmakers and other political actors. He may then organize those demands into political priorities and suggest them to the party’s congressional caucuses.
According to the PL, such suggestions are not binding. They have an effect only if lawmakers accept them and the appropriate bodies of Congress formally process the amendments.
The party also said Costa Neto used the word “indicate” in a colloquial sense. In its interpretation, he was referring to the ability to suggest political priorities, rather than to the formal legal act of submitting an amendment.
After receiving the remaining responses, Dino will assess whether further measures are needed to improve transparency and traceability in the amendment system. The source does not report which of the 15 parties that had not responded by July 24 had missed the deadline or whether the court had imposed any immediate penalties.