Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies passes bill to lower Bolsonaro’s sentence

The arguable bill, which prompted a scuffle successful Congress’s little chamber, present proceeds to the Senate for a vote.

Sao Paulo, Brazil – The little location of Brazil’s Congress has passed a measure that could trim erstwhile President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year situation condemnation for attempting a coup.

The contentious ballot came successful the aboriginal hours of Wednesday, aft a protestation by a left-wing congressman triggered a combat involving lawmakers, constabulary and journalists.

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The bill, which the Senate indispensable present approve, aims to trim the sentences of much than 1,000 radical progressive successful the attacks connected January 8, 2023, which saw Bolsonaro’s supporters tempest authorities office successful Brasilia.

Its beneficiaries would see Bolsonaro and respective ministers and subject officials who were convicted alongside the ex-president for plotting to clasp onto powerfulness aft losing the 2022 elections.

The measure was brought to a ballot precocious connected Tuesday night, prompting outrage from its opponents. The country wrong the Chamber of Deputies rapidly devolved into chaos, with pushing and shoving betwixt lawmakers.

Glauber Braga, a left-wing congressman opposed to the bill, attempted to artifact the ballot by sitting successful the enclosure president’s chair, earlier being forcibly removed by police.

Congress members successful Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies see a measure to change sentencing guidelines for definite crimes, including those involving coups d’etat, connected December 9 [Eraldo Peres/AP Photo]

Tulio Amancio, a Brazilian newsman from the web TV Band, witnessed the scuffle. He told Al Jazeera that journalists were forcibly expelled from the chamber, and the unrecorded tv awesome was cut.

When Braga was removed, Amancio said journalists rushed towards the congressman to movie the scene. Police started shouting — “Open up! Open up!” — arsenic they pushed their mode done the assemblage of reporters.

Amancio added that “colleagues were assaulted” by constabulary successful the hubbub.

“There’s ever pushing and shoving. There’s ever immoderate benignant of confusion. It’s portion of governmental sum involving authorities, but carnal aggression successful the mode it happened this Tuesday, unfortunately, volition beryllium remembered arsenic a bittersweet section successful this communicative present successful Congress,” Amancio said.

Maria bash Rosario, a congresswoman from the left-wing Workers’ Party, voted against the bill. She criticised the enclosure president, Hugo Motta, for his handling of the protest, including his determination to telephone legislature constabulary to region Braga.

“He was treated with profound violence,” she told Al Jazeera. “He was dragged out, and astatine the aforesaid time, this docket that President Hugo Motta has enactment guardant is simply a disgrace that undermines democracy.”

In a statement shared implicit societal media, Motta argued that Braga’s actions disrespected the legislative branch.

He besides appeared captious of the constabulary reaction, saying helium has ordered an “investigation into imaginable excesses regarding property coverage”.

“We indispensable support ideology from shouting, from authoritarian gestures, from intimidation disguised arsenic a governmental act,” Motta wrote.

Bolsonaro, who served arsenic president from 2019 to 2023, was recovered blameworthy successful September connected 5 charges, including 1 number of seeking the convulsive abolition of the antiauthoritarian regularisation of law.

He and his supporters person refused to admit his decision successful the 2022 statesmanlike race, which saw the predetermination of existent president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Since November, the fashionable far-right president has been held successful the national constabulary office successful Brasilia.

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the jailed president’s eldest son, announced connected December 5 helium volition tally for president successful 2026.

Days later, helium suggested helium would renounce his candidacy if his begetter were freed from situation and called connected Motta to clasp a ballot connected Wednesday’s sentence-reduction bill. The legislator aboriginal retracted his connection to driblet retired of the race.

“The terms was his father’s freedom,” said Rosario, echoing wide speculation astir Flavio Bolsonaro’s comments.

Brazil’s Senate is expected to ballot connected the measure adjacent week.