Tiago Cintra Essado: 

“Corruption also has a moral and spiritual perspective”

The president of the Legal-Spiritist Association of Brazil talks about the 10 anti-corruption measures proposed by the Prosecutor’s Office amid a major crisis in the country 

	Tiago Cintra Essado (photo) was born in a Spiritist family in the city of Franca, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. He is a law prosecutor in Rio Claro, also in São Paulo state, and president of the Legal-Spiritist Association of Brazil. In this interview he talks about the Prosecutor’s Office anti-corruption initiative. His legal and Spiritist perspectives com-
bined give him a very broad and privileged view of the issue.

How did Brazil’s Prosecutor’s Office come up with the proposal of implementing 10 anti-corruption measures? 

It produced this package of measures as a result of its work in the investigation of the Car Wash Operation, which has been probing a huge corruption scandal at the Brazilian state-owned oil company, Petrobras. The case is being spearheaded by the Prosecutor’s Office in tandem with Federal Police.   

Does it follow the model of the “Ficha Limpa” (or Clean Record Law) proposals?  

Yes. The aim is to gather 1.5 million signatures to table legal proposals that stem from the 10 anti-corruption measures. That is a very interesting aspect, as it highlights the importance of the direct participation of the public in politics. This is a very important tool in Brazilian democracy. It allows the people to propose bills to Congress. 

What would be the social gains? 

It is a wide range of measures. Some are better than others. I like in particular the emphasis on the educational aspect, raising awareness among Brazilians about this social scourge – corruption – which can be defined as the absence of ethics and respect for others. One of the measures proposed suggests that 10 to 20% of the budget be spent on marketing campaigns on the negative impact corruption has for society. 

What is the best way to summarise that package of 10 measures? 

The measures are aimed at prioritising preventative measures, such as awareness campaigns, and also to set a time limit for a verdict to be issued on corruption cases. Other proposals aim at introducing tougher punishment for corruption, tougher controls on political parties that break the rules when raising money for campaigns and more effective mechanisms to recover the money obtained by individuals and institutions through corruption. 

Which one of these measures you think is the most pertinent and important? 

Some of them are essential, especially from a Spiritist perspective, such as the educational campaigns on the consequences of corruption. Corruption has a moral and Spiritual perspective, which means we have a culture of corruption in our society. It is essential to introduce tough punitive measures, including the possibility of seizing money obtained illegally. In such crimes, profit is the goal. To arrest people without having the possibility of retrieving the assets they gathered illegally does not seem ideal. 

Taking into account your background as a lawyer and a Spiritist, what would you like to highlight? 

The Prosecutor’s Office initiative is relevant because it urges Brazilians to become more aware about corruption, which is a problem whose solution does not lie solely on the legislation. It is essential that the wider society is able to remain vigilant and control what is going on and also that people do not engage in corruption, be it in a small or in a large scale. Brazilian society is enjoying an opportunity to become more mature on its ethical and moral values. It is easy to criticise. Building something is a lot harder. That is why it is important that we put these principles into practice and take an ethical approach to everything we do, at home, at work, in Spiritist Centres and in the wider community. This is the time to put into practice the principle that we must respect others. 

Your final thoughts, please. 

It is essential at this moment to be united. The fight against corruption is a fight against selfishness, against materialism and in favour of the belief in a society where there is room for everyone, wherever they come from. That is why it is important for us to be aware about the value of doing the right thing, of being dignified and coherent in our acts, keeping high ethical and moral standards. May we all be able to do our part.