Trending 
Brazil’s Congress on Thursday voted to override a presidential veto on a controversial law that reduces prison sentences for sedition in what will be a huge setback to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration.
The override marks the second parliamentary defeat for Lula in less than 24 hours, delivering a major legal victory to former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The Congressional session was tense, with lawmakers divided on the issue. In the Chamber of Deputies, 318 lawmakers voted in favour of the override, while 144 opposed it. In the Senate, 49 supported the change, and 24 rejected it.
The law alters the method for calculating prison sentences, particularly in cases of similar crimes, preventing the accumulation of sentences. This adjustment directly benefits Bolsonaro and his supporters, who were convicted for their involvement in the January 8, 2023, coup attempt in Brasília.
Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in the failed coup attempt, began serving his sentence in November 2025. He is currently under house arrest.
Legal experts believe the new law could reduce his sentence by up to 20 years, potentially allowing him to move to a semi-open regime or even be released within two to four years.
The vote took place on the 45th birthday of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s eldest son. Flávio, a key presidential candidate in the upcoming October elections, celebrated the outcome as a “special birthday gift” and a “first step toward ensuring full justice for those persecuted on January 8.”
Opposition lawmakers celebrated with chants of “freedom” and “Flávio Bolsonaro,” while the legislation’s approval marks a critical milestone for the opposition.
However, experts anticipate that the Lula administration will challenge the decision in the Supreme Federal Court, arguing that the law undermines sentences for crimes against the democratic state.
