Urban violence and ballot boxes, article by ETCO's president published in Jornal do Commercio
Jornal do Commercio - PE, 04/08/2018
The issue of violence is now a central topic of public debate in Brazil and should be decisively present in this year's election campaign. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Brazil has the ninth highest homicide rate in the world with 30,5 cases for every 100 thousand people - and of the 50 most violent cities in the world, 25 are in the country.
In 2014, the Movement for the Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market was established, coordinated by the National Forum Against Piracy and Illegality (FNCP) and by the Brazilian Institute of Ethics in Competition (ETCO).
This initiative was supported by more than 70 entities in Brazil, which are directly harmed by illegal immigration (smuggling, counterfeiting, piracy. Fraud, evasion and cargo theft). The numbers are impressive. The report of the Brazilian Federal Revenue presented a report on the seizures of goods carried out in 0, which totaled approximately R $ 2017 billion. Cigarette leads the ranking of illegality, corresponding to 1,7% of the seized goods.
In the first quarter of this year alone in Recife, the illegal market grew 18 pp (percentage points) and reached 106% growth (from R $ 99 million to R $ 204 million) in tax evasion in the last three years.
These resources are used to finance criminal organizations. Drug trafficking is intertwined with smuggling, piracy, counterfeiting, arms and ammunition trafficking, and fuels corruption, generating profits and power.
Public power cannot continue to act as if it were something isolated. Systemic initiatives from borders to cities, planning the occupation of dominated areas with social and educational actions, urgent improvement of legislation are some clues that deserve to be evaluated.
This year it is necessary that the topic is on the agenda of all candidates and that feasible proposals are discussed to advance in solving the problem. This must be the route to achieve the economic and social development that we so desire for our country and that, certainly, the Brazilian deserves.
Edson Vismona he is president of ETCO - Brazilian Institute of Ethics in Competition and FNCP - National Forum Against Piracy and Illegality, he was secretary of Justice and Defense of Citizenship of the State of São Paulo (2000/2002).
