Brazil’s political landscape is once again in turmoil after the lower house of Congress approved a controversial bill that could dramatically reduce sentences for those convicted over the January 8, 2023, attacks on the government headquarters in Brasília—including former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup. The move has ignited fierce debate, sparked calls for mass protests, and exposed deep divisions within Brazilian society about the future of its democracy.
The Chamber of Deputies, Brazil’s lower legislative house, voted on the bill during an unusually late session at 2:30 AM on December 10, 2025. According to Brazil Reports, the measure passed with 291 votes in favor and 148 against. The outcome stunned many, as the vote was not expected to take place that night. When the president of the Chamber unexpectedly brought the bill to the floor, chaos erupted. Glauber Braga, a left-wing congressman, attempted to block the proceedings by occupying the Chamber president’s chair and refusing to leave until he was forcibly removed by congressional police.
The chaos was not limited to the politicians. Journalists covering the event were swept up in the disorder. Túlio Amancio, a reporter for a national TV station, described a scene of violence and confusion. He told Brazil Reports that the press was “brutally expelled from the plenary,” with the live TV signal from inside the Chamber abruptly cut. Amancio recounted that several journalists, including a woman, were physically assaulted, and at least one needed medical attention inside the Chamber.
At the heart of the controversy is the fate of Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who lost the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In September 2025, Bolsonaro was convicted along with several military and government officials for orchestrating a failed coup to remain in power. Prosecutors alleged that the plot included plans to assassinate Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. According to Agence France-Presse, the scheme ultimately collapsed due to a lack of support from the military’s top brass. Bolsonaro has consistently denied any involvement in the plot.
Since Bolsonaro’s conviction and subsequent imprisonment in November 2025, his allies in the conservative-majority Congress have been searching for ways to ease his punishment. Initially, they floated the idea of a sweeping amnesty law that would pardon Bolsonaro and all those convicted in connection with the January 8 attacks, which caused millions of dollars in damage to Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace. However, that proposal fizzled out after widespread protests in September 2025.
The bill approved last week is a lighter version of the original amnesty law. If it becomes law, it could significantly reduce the sentences of those convicted, including Bolsonaro. According to Maria do Rosário, a congresswoman from the center-left Worker’s Party, the Senate—which currently has a conservative majority—is likely to approve the bill. If passed, it would then go to President Lula, who could veto it. However, as reported by Agence France-Presse, any presidential veto could be overturned by another vote in the Chamber of Deputies.
The rapid passage of the bill has triggered a wave of outrage among the Brazilian left and civil society. On December 12, 2025, prominent leftists, including legendary singer Caetano Veloso, called for nationwide protests scheduled for Sunday, December 14. The movement quickly gained traction on social media, with hashtags like “no amnesty” and “Congress, enemy of the people” trending across platforms. Veloso, 83, urged Brazilians to “return Congress to the people,” echoing the spirit of a massive musical protest he led in September on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach alongside other luminaries of Brazilian music.
Edinho Silva, president of Lula’s Worker’s Party, was particularly blunt in his condemnation. In a video posted on Instagram, he declared, “Reducing the sentence for murderers is unacceptable. They approved the reduction of sentences for those who planned and tried to carry out a coup against democracy. Let’s go to the streets...to protect what is essential to democracy.”
Protests are being organized in major cities including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, as well as in at least ten other urban centers. The sense of urgency is palpable, as many see the bill as a direct threat to the rule of law and the hard-won democratic gains of recent decades.
The political maneuvering around Bolsonaro’s fate has also exposed fractures within Brazil’s powerful conservative movement. Just days before the bill resurfaced, Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, announced his willingness to withdraw his own candidacy for the 2026 presidential elections if an amnesty could be secured for his father. This unexpected offer, reported by Agence France-Presse, highlighted the growing disarray among conservatives as they grapple with the fallout from Bolsonaro’s conviction and the uncertainty it casts over their prospects in next year’s vote.
Despite the high stakes, public response to Bolsonaro’s imprisonment has so far been muted. A protest called in Brasília after his jailing drew only a few dozen supporters, suggesting that the former president’s base may be demoralized or divided. Still, the current controversy has the potential to reignite passions on both sides of the political spectrum.
The outcome of this legislative battle remains uncertain. The Senate’s conservative majority increases the odds of the bill’s passage, but President Lula’s potential veto—and the possibility of it being overridden—adds another layer of complexity. Meanwhile, the prospect of mass protests this Sunday raises the specter of renewed street clashes reminiscent of previous political crises.
For many Brazilians, the events of the past week have laid bare the fragility of their democracy and the intensity of the struggle over its future direction. As the nation braces for another round of protests and political drama, the world will be watching to see whether Brazil’s institutions can withstand the pressure—or whether the deep divisions exposed by this crisis will prove too great to overcome.
With the fate of Bolsonaro and Brazil’s democratic order hanging in the balance, the coming days promise to be among the most consequential in the country’s recent history.
