Brazil's Political Drama: Bolsonaro's Sentence Reduction Bill Advances

Brazil's lower house has approved a bill potentially reducing former President Jair Bolsonaro's prison term from 27 years to just over two, pending Senate approval. Convicted for anti-democratic acts, Bolsonaro began his sentence last month. The bill excludes full amnesty and faces potential Supreme Court challenges.

In a significant legislative move, Brazil's lower house approved a controversial bill that could drastically cut former President Jair Bolsonaro's prison sentence from 27 years to a little over two years, should the Senate also give its nod.

Bolsonaro, who was convicted for plotting a coup following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election, started serving his sentence last month. The proposed bill, which passed with a 291-148 vote, targets those convicted of anti-democratic acts leading to the January 8, 2023, riot, wherein Bolsonaro's supporters stormed and caused havoc in important governmental buildings.

The bill's architect, Congressman Paulinho da Força, insists on sentence reduction as the sole method for national reconciliation, dismissing proposals for complete amnesty. It still awaits Senate approval and might encounter resistance at the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)