After the Senate turned down President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's Supreme Court nomination on Wednesday, it teamed up with House members to override Lula's veto of a bill softening penalties for those convicted in the coup plot led by former President Jair Bolsonaro after his 2022 electoral defeat — crowning a punishing week for the government.
The numbers were striking: majorities of 318-144 in the House and 49-24 in the Senate went against the government.
The new law rewrites how penalties are calculated for crimes against democracy. Those convicted will no longer face separate sentences for “violent abolition of the democratic rule of law” and “attempted coup” stacked together — only the harsher charge will apply. Furthermore, those who participated in such crimes “in a crowd setting” without leading or funding the action receive an additional reduction of up to two-thirds of their original sentences.
You’re missing out on the full story
Get smarter on Brazil and Latin America
Enjoy 7-day free trial now!The full picture. The sharpest takes. All in your inbox, every day:
- 🏆 Award-winning journalism, trusted worldwide
- 📊 Exclusive charts and analyses
- 🗃️ Archive access
- 💬 Commenting
