Brazilians protest bill that could grant ex-President Bolsonaro amnesty

Thousands of Brazilians have protested the National Congress’ plans to increase the immunity of lawmakers and support an amnesty that could include far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was ordered to serve 27 years and three months in prison on charges of attempted military coup.

The conservative-majority Congress was accused of putting its own interests before social and economic issues by protesters in rallies in more than a dozen cities. Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, and Gilberto Gil, who defied censorship during the 1960s military dictatorship, reunited for a protest concert in Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana neighborhood.

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A 34-year-old environmentalist who was present at the protest in Brasilia, Brazil, expressed her outrage at the political establishment. We are protesting the existence of a law that protects them in the form of corrupt politicians and criminals, she told the AFP.

Following the passage of a constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult to detain or launch criminal charges against lawmakers, calls for demonstrations grew. Legislators who cast a secret ballot must approve one of their own charges or arrests in accordance with the so-called “Shielding Bill.”

The lower house voted to quickly pass a bill supported by right-wing opposition lawmakers that could amnestize Bolsonaro, his closest allies, and hundreds of supporters who had been found guilty of involvement in the uprising in January 2023.

Both Senate bills are in a battleground. The amnesty bill was vetoed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Numerous of Bolsonaro’s supporters had gathered to defend him ahead of his Supreme Court trial on September 11. The former president, who has denied any wrongdoing, is the first person to be found guilty of trying to overturn a vote in Latin America’s largest economy.

Polls indicate that the nation is still deeply divided on his future. In a recent Datafolha poll, 50% of the 2,005 respondents said Bolsonaro should be imprisoned, whereas 43% disagreed and 7% declined to respond.

After being found guilty on five charges, including leading a “criminal organization” to conspire to overthrow Lula, Bolsonaro is currently house-assisted and faces up to 40 years in prison. A detailed “Green and Yellow Dagger” operational plan with an assassination plan was discovered.