In a major blow to the administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian Congress voted on Thursday to override a presidential veto on a law that significantly reduces prison sentences for sedition. The move marks the second parliamentary defeat for Lula in less than 24 hours and provides a massive legal victory to former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The congressional session was marked by high tension. The final tally reflected a deep legislative divide: in the Chamber of Deputies, 318 lawmakers were in favour of the override and 144 against. In the Senate, 49 were in favour and 24 against.
The newly approved law alters the methodology for calculating prison time, specifically preventing the accumulation of sentences for similar crimes. This change directly benefits Bolsonaro and hundreds of supporters convicted in relation to the January 8 2023, coup attempt in Brasilia.
Bolsonaro, 71, was sentenced in September 2025 to 27 years in prison for his role in the attempted coup following his 2022 election loss. While he began serving his sentence in November and is currently under house arrest, experts suggest this legislative change could be transformative because the law could cut up to 20 years off his original sentence. Under the new guidelines, Bolsonaro could potentially transition to semi-open status or be released from closed custody within two to four years.
The vote coincided with the 45th birthday of Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president’s eldest son and a leading presidential candidate for the forthcoming October elections. Following the vote, opposition lawmakers celebrated by chanting “freedom” and “Flavio Bolsonaro.”
