Mass protests erupt across Brazil against amnesty for ex-president Bolsonaro, lawmakers

Tens of thousands of Brazilians rallied in major cities on September 21 to protest efforts by lawmakers to shield former president Jair Bolsonaro and his allies from prosecution, marking the largest leftist mobilisation in Brazil in years.

The demonstrations were triggered by recent moves in Congress to pass legislation that could grant Bolsonaro and others involved in the January 2023 storming of government buildings amnesty or legal immunity. Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest, appealing a 27-year prison sentence for his role in plotting a coup attempt after his 2022 election defeat, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

"We came very close to a coup by Bolsonaro. I was young in 1964, but I never imagined we would be so close to another dictatorship," said Renato Fonseca, a 63-year-old protester in São Paulo, referencing Brazil's military dictatorship. His shirt read “1964 Never Again.”

Organised by unions, social movements, and leftist parties, the protests denounced a constitutional amendment recently passed in the lower house that would allow Congress to block criminal prosecutions of its members. Protesters also condemned a fast-tracked bill that could pardon Bolsonaro supporters convicted for the 2023 insurrection.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in the 2022 election, voiced support for the demonstrators.

“Today's demonstrations show that the population does not want impunity or amnesty. The national Congress must focus on measures that benefit the Brazilian people,” he posted on social media.

In São Paulo, an estimated 40,000 demonstrators filled Avenida Paulista, unfurling a 15-meter Brazilian flag reading "No Amnesty." The turnout rivaled recent pro-Bolsonaro rallies, one of which featured a large US flag in support of Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to pressure Brazilian judges.

"Brazil belongs to Brazilians. I came to defend democracy, stand against extremism, and say no to immunity and amnesty for coup plotters," said Scarlett Angelotti, a 62-year-old educator wearing Brazil’s national soccer jersey — a symbol long associated with Bolsonaro supporters.

Similar scenes played out along Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, where crowds chanted “Bolsonaro in jail” and “No amnesty!” The rallies culminated with performances by musicians once exiled during the dictatorship, including Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Chico Buarque.

By Sabina Mammadli