Controversy Surrounds Bill Reducing Bolsonaro's Sentence

Brazil's Senate approved a bill potentially reducing former President Jair Bolsonaro's prison sentence for an attempted coup, a move President Lula intends to veto. The controversial legislation has sparked protests and could face challenges in the Supreme Court, questioning its alignment with democratic principles.

Brazil's Senate has passed a contentious bill that could dramatically reduce the 27-year prison sentence of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Convicted of attempting a coup, Bolsonaro's sentence revision now awaits President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's signature—though Lula has expressed intention to veto it, citing a disregard for the Supreme Court's decision.

Gleisi Hoffmann, Minister of Institutional Relations, criticized the bill as a regression in democratic safeguards. The legislation, which also faces Supreme Court challenges, aims to shorten sentences of defendants guilty of coup-related charges, like Bolsonaro. His lawyers argue that charges shouldn't be cumulative as they originate from the same incident.

The bill's provisions could significantly shorten jail time for Bolsonaro and others involved in the insurrection, drawing both praise from supporters like Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, and widespread protests across Brazilian cities. Critics view the bill as a threat to democracy and public order.