Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has stopped a new law. This law would have made the prison sentence for former president Jair Bolsonaro much shorter. The bill passed in Congress, where many of Bolsonaro's supporters work. It aimed to reduce Bolsonaro's 27-year sentence. He was convicted for trying to weaken the current government. President Lula announced his decision on Thursday. This happened on the third anniversary of the January 8, 2023 riots. President Lula called these riots an attack on democracy.
The bill went through Congress in December. It was meant to make Bolsonaro's punishment less severe. He was found guilty of plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election. Bolsonaro has been in prison since November. The proposed law would have changed his 27-year sentence to about two years. However, President Lula decided to reject the bill. This shows his government strongly opposes actions that weaken democracy. This is important after the riots that happened after Lula became president.
President Lula explained his reason. He said the bill would have helped people involved in the "attack on Brazilian democracy." He stressed the importance of the January 8 anniversary. He called it a moment when "our democracy's victory" happened. Those who tried to take power by force lost. Lula promised to remember and defend democracy. This is especially true after the attempted coup.
The idea to reduce Bolsonaro's sentence came from Congress. Congress is controlled by the opposition. This challenged the current government. President Lula used his power to veto the bill. However, Congress can still try to overturn the veto. This could cause more political uncertainty.
The veto means Jair Bolsonaro's long prison sentence will stay the same for now. It shows President Lula wants to protect democracy. It also shows the big difference between the current and former presidents. Society is divided. Congress might try to override the veto. This will keep people waiting to see what happens next. President Lula is defending democracy. This is a key moment for Brazil's democracy.