RIO DE JANEIRO — Massive demonstrations swept through Brazil’s major cities on Sunday as tens of thousands of citizens mobilized against controversial congressional legislation that would significantly reduce former President Jair Bolsonaro’s prison term. The bill, which cleared the lower house earlier this week, could slash Bolsonaro’s 27-year sentence for attempted coup activities to just over two years.
Protestors flooded iconic locations including Copacabana’s boardwalk in Rio de Janeiro, Brasília’s government district, and urban centers in São Paulo, Florianopolis, Salvador, and Recife. Left-wing demonstrators united in chanting “No amnesty” and demanding the resignation of House Speaker Hugo Motta, who facilitated the bill’s passage. The atmosphere combined festive musical performances by legendary artists Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil with palpable political indignation.
Antonio Edson Lima de Oliveira, a 56-year-old geologist participating in Rio, stated: “This legislation represents an attempt to protect those who attempted to overthrow democracy. Brazil has endured multiple dictatorships with devastating consequences—we must never allow such threats to reemerge.”
The controversial measure, sponsored by Congressman Paulinho da Força, proposes fundamental changes to Brazil’s penal system. It would require concurrent rather than consecutive sentencing for convictions related to the January 8, 2023 insurrection, when Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings seeking to overturn President Lula da Silva’s election victory. Additionally, it would modify parole eligibility, allowing day release after serving one-sixth rather than one-fourth of a sentence.
Political analyst Luciana Santana from the Federal University of Alagoas suggests the bill faces substantial hurdles in the Senate: “The chamber’s composition, widespread public mobilizations, and the lower house’s pre-dawn voting circumstances create a less favorable environment for passage.”
The developments occur against a backdrop of improved U.S.-Brazil relations following diplomatic turbulence. The United States recently removed tariffs imposed during the Bolsonaro trial period and lifted sanctions against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the former president’s case.