Lula backs lowering criminal responsibility age to 16 for heinous crimes

Summary

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday that he supports lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility for heinous crimes from 18 to 16, in an interview with TV Globo’s Jornal Nacional. The Guardian describes the announcement as a reversal of his longstanding position and says it is widely seen as an electoral gambit ahead of a presidential runoff in just over a week; it reports that Lula faces an uphill battle against far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who won the first round and remains slightly ahead in polls.

Timeline

1. The Straits Times

   16 Oct 2026, 01:41 UTCSource ↗

   The Straits Times reports that Lula said in a Thursday interview with TV Globo’s Jornal Nacional that he supports lowering Brazil’s minimum age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 for heinous crimes.

2. The Guardian

   16 Oct 2026, 16:47 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Lula has reversed his longstanding position, and says the shift is widely seen as an electoral gambit ahead of the presidential runoff in just over a week.