Brazilians across the country are expressing their outrage over a proposed bill that could grant amnesty to former President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters. The protests were sparked after Bolsonaro was found guilty of trying to stage a coup when he lost the 2022 presidential election. On September 11, a court handed down a blistering sentence against Bolsonaro. He was sentenced to 27 years and three months imprisonment for his efforts to maintain power at all costs.
Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing and calls the allegations nonsense. He is now the first former president in Latin America’s largest economy to be convicted for leading a bid to try to overturn an election. His supporters took to the streets to defend him on September 7, only days before his trial in front of the Supreme Court. The current political environment is extremely partisan and divisive. In the wake of these events, a recent Datafolha poll shows that Bolsonaro should be jailed according to half of the respondents.
After his conviction, thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters were given convictions of their own. Their role in the January 2023 coup against the government has not been without consequences. Even more shockingly, right-wing opposition lawmakers have been supportive of the proposed bill. This final piece seeks to provide amnesty for Bolsonaro, his inner circle, and the hundreds of supporters who stormed government buildings during the insurrection.
Demonstrations quickly erupted after the lower house of Congress passed a constitutional amendment. Yet this amendment would add significant hurdles to arresting or prosecuting wayward legislators. This action sparked outrage among most Brazilians who feared this meant a political pardon was in the works for Bolsonaro and his inner circle.
The protests exploded into all 26 states and the Federal District, connecting citizens at a grassroots level by their opposition to any amnesty. Well-known Brazilian artists led the way in organizing, promoting and performing at these demonstrations. More interestingly, perhaps, they focused on the absolutely critical need to make politicians pay for what they do.
“This protest is important because the people need to show them what we want, because they are there to represent our needs, not their own.” – Dulce Oliveira
Wagner Moura, a well-known actor, described the moment as “an extraordinary moment in Brazilian democracy, which serves as an example to the entire world.” Anitta, a popular musician, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “The people are the ones who shape the country’s politics. We have the right and the duty to hold politicians accountable. After all, we vote and they work for the good of the population.”
The dramatic protests expose Brazil’s chasmic divide over the legacy of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro. Though an overwhelming majority of citizens favor his conviction and imprisonment, an even larger segment of the population still supports him. As protests continue nationwide, it remains clear that the debate over Bolsonaro’s future and the proposed amnesty will shape Brazil’s political landscape for years to come.
“I was outraged by the news that many deputies voted in favor of a shielding law for themselves and their colleagues,” – Veloso
