Brazil Senate leadership faces scrutiny over transparency and inquiry powers

Criticism has emerged regarding the transparency and procedural powers of the Brazilian Senate under the presidency of Davi Alcolumbre. Concerns have been raised about the use of the Access to Information Law to restrict visitor records of lobbyists and public figures for up to 100 years, which critics argue undermines institutional accountability and the constitutional principle of publicity.

In a separate development, Senate candidate Coronel Hélio (PL) has criticized the autonomy held by the President of Congress regarding the scheduling of parliamentary inquiries (CPIs). During a hearing, Hélio proposed changes to the Senate's Internal Regulations to ensure that requests for investigations, such as the proposed CPMI regarding Banco Master, proceed automatically once they have gathered the necessary parliamentary signatures, rather than remaining subject to the political discretion of the Senate leadership.