The reduced income of Brazilian after the pandemic, the increased demand for public defenders and the need to strengthen the institution

Abstract

Based on a data analysis that point to a significant drop in the average income of Brazilians, especially the poorest, this article analyzes the current and future scenario of the Public Institution responsible for, among other functions, exercising the constitutional mandate of providing legal assistance to the needy. Observing and explaining the meager number of state and federal public defenders in Brazil, the text critically perceives the failure to strengthen the Institution—a very well-articulated anti-democratic project. Seeking to foster curiosity and raise questions, which leads to discussion and dialogue, the article concludes by implicitly leaving open two questions: the first raised by Justice Minister Carmen Lúcia: Who wants to weaken the Public Defender’s Office? The second, which already seems to have an unfortunate negative answer: will the constitutional promise of having public defenders in all jurisdictional units be realized, making sure that the natural post-pandemic increase in demand is met?