Tens of thousands of Brazilians joined protests in cities across the country on Sunday to protest against a bill which could result in ex-President Jair Bolsonaro being granted amnesty.
Bolsonaro was found guilty of plotting a coup earlier this month and has been sentenced to 27 years in prison. He will remain under house arrest until his lawyers have exhausted all appeals.
But the ex-leader’s allies in the Chamber of Deputies have fast-tracked a bill which could see Bolsonaro and his co-defendants spared jail.
The demonstrators also expressed their anger at the lower house’s passing of a constitutional amendment which would make it harder to launch criminal proceedings against lawmakers.
Under the proposal, members of Congress would have to give their approval – in a secret ballot – before a lawmaker could be charged or arrested.
Critics have dubbed it the “Banditry Bill” but members of Congress who supported it said it was necessary to shield them from what they said was “judicial overreach”.
The proposed constitutional amendment will now go to the Senate.
Sunday’s protests had the backing of trade unions, social groups and left-wing political parties and drew tens of thousands of attendees in several major cities.
Many chanted “no amnesty” and held up placards calling Congress “shameless”.
At the event in Rio de Janeiro, veteran singers Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso entertained the crowds.
Credit: bbc.com
