Brazilians protest efforts to shield Bolsonaro and lawmakers from courts

22/9/2025 13:13

Tens of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets of major cities on Sunday to protest legislative efforts to shield former President Jair Bolsonaro and federal lawmakers from the courts, marking the country's strongest leftist demonstrations in years.



The protests, organized by social movements, unions and political parties, denounced lawmakers trying to avoid legal consequences for themselves and Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to prison for a coup plot after his supporters stormed government buildings following his 2022 election defeat.



It was the first major demonstration since Bolsonaro's conviction this month, with numbers rivaling recent right-wing protests against his sentencing in major cities, driving home the stark divisions in one of the world's largest democracies.



The Supreme Court's conviction of Bolsonaro and his co-conspirators in the government and armed forces marked the first time Brazil has punished military officers for attempting to overthrow democracy in a history stained by violent coups.



Bolsonaro is under house arrest until he exhausts appeals of his 27-year prison sentence, but allies are already working to support him via political channels, ranging from legislative amnesty to a pardon from the next president.