HISTORY, LAW AND DEMOCRACY
After coup conviction, Bolsonaro calls for amnesty. History suggests it only breeds more coups
The 1956 Jacareacanga Revolt ended with amnesty. In Brazil, every pardon for putschists has paved the way for their return. Photo: National Archives
The conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro and allied military officers for plotting a coup marks a break with Brazil’s long tradition of impunity for crimes against democracy. Ironically, it was Brazil’s own history of coup attempts that pushed the country to develop the legal tools and institutional safeguards that made this verdict possible.
A chapter of Brazilian history has closed. But some are already preparing the sequel. Bolsonaro’s supporters in Congress are pushing an amnesty bill, while presidential hopefuls for 2026 have promised him a…
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