RIO DE JANEIRO (BN24) — Tens of thousands of Brazilians filled the streets of major cities Sunday in a sweeping show of opposition to a bill that could grant amnesty to former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies, following his recent conviction for plotting a coup.
Bolsonaro, who was sentenced earlier this month to 27 years in prison after Brazil’s Supreme Court found him guilty of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, remains under house arrest while his legal team pursues appeals. Despite the conviction, allies of the far-right former leader in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies have moved swiftly to advance legislation that would prevent Bolsonaro and his co-defendants from serving time behind bars.
The proposed bill has sparked a wave of outrage from civil society groups, legal experts, and pro-democracy advocates, culminating in Sunday’s mass protests. Demonstrators marched through cities including São Paulo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro, chanting “No amnesty” and holding signs condemning Congress as “shameless.” Trade unions, left-wing political parties, and a broad coalition of civil society organizations supported the protests.
In Rio, the atmosphere was charged but peaceful, with renowned Brazilian musicians Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso performing to show solidarity with the protesters. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also lent his support to the demonstrations, stating on X, formerly Twitter, that “the population does not want impunity or amnesty.” He added that he would veto the amnesty bill if it passed in the Senate.
The protests also targeted a recently passed constitutional amendment in the lower house that would make it harder to prosecute lawmakers. The measure, which now heads to the Senate, would require a secret-ballot vote by members of Congress to approve any legal charges or arrests of sitting legislators. Critics have slammed it as the “Banditry Bill,” warning that it undermines judicial accountability and paves the way for impunity among the political elite.
Tensions surrounding Bolsonaro’s legal fate remain high in Brazil. Just two weeks earlier, his supporters had staged their own rallies decrying the Supreme Court’s decision. The polarized atmosphere highlights a deepening national divide over the former president’s role in the events of January 8, 2023, when thousands of his supporters stormed key government buildings in Brasília, including Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace.
The court ruled that Bolsonaro and seven associates orchestrated the attempted coup but failed to garner the backing of top military leaders, resulting in the insurrection being quickly suppressed. More than 1,500 people were arrested following the riots, and some have already received long prison terms.
Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party has since lobbied aggressively for amnesty, not only for the former president but also for those involved in the attack on Brazil’s democratic institutions. Yet the momentum from Sunday’s protests indicates that a significant portion of the public is pushing back. Many attendees told local media they were “fighting for Brazil’s democracy” and demanding accountability at the highest levels.
A poll by Datafolha released on September 16 reflected the national divide: 50% of respondents believed Bolsonaro should be imprisoned, while 43% opposed incarceration.
As the amnesty bill heads to the Senate, Brazil finds itself at a critical crossroads between institutional justice and a political effort to rewrite the consequences of a failed coup.
