Tens of thousands of demonstrators in Brazil oppose the reduction of the sentence of former president Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years in prison
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Brazil on Sunday, December 14, to protest against the intention of the Brazilian parliament to reduce the sentence of the ex-extreme right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years in prison for an attempted coup, notes AFP.
Bolsonaro was president of Brazil from 2019 to 2022. PHOTO AFP
The launch of the call for rallies in the country's main cities was made by left-wing organizations after Brazilian deputies, mostly pro-Bolsonaro, adopted a bill that could reduce the former president's sentence to just over two years in prison. suited Agerpres, which quotes the international press agency.
Large-scale demonstrations took place in dozens of cities, including Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
“No Amnesty”
In Rio de Janeiro, nearly 19,000 people invaded Copacabana beach with signs reading “No amnesty” and “Congress, the enemy of the people”while important figures of Brazilian music, such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque, performed on a small stage.
“We are still here to wake up Congress. (…) We are still here for the Brazilian forests, for women's rights, for democracy,” actress Fernanda Torres said from the stage, whose film she “I'm Still Here” (“I'm still here”) which recounts the dark years of the dictatorship in Brazil (1964-1985), brought Brazil its first Oscar.
Almost 14,000 people also gathered in Sao Paulo, on the famous Paulista Boulevard, according to the estimates of the Monitor of the University of Sao Paulo.
Earlier, in the Brazilian capital, the crowd gathered near the National Museum and marched towards the Congress building.
For months, Bolsonaro's camp in the lower house of Parliament considered various options to reduce his sentence, including a possible full amnesty that was abandoned after huge demonstrations in September.
Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempted coup
Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil from 2019 to 2022, was found guilty by the Supreme Court of conspiracy to stay in power “in an authoritarian manner”, regardless of the outcome of the 2022 election, which he ultimately lost in the second round to his leftist rival Lula da Silva.
According to the prosecutors, the plan failed due to the lack of support from the military hierarchy. He proclaims his innocence, claiming to be the victim of “political persecution”, notes AFP.
