A heated clash in Brazil’s lower house of Congress turned into a standoff on Monday, when a lawmaker was kicked out for blocking a vote on a bill that could shorten former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison term.
Glauber Braga, a fiery member of the left-leaning PSOL party, took over the speaker’s chair during the session. He sat there for hours, refusing to budge and halting all business. “I will stay here calmly, exercising my right to reject an amnesty for a group of coup plotters,” Braga said, his voice steady amid the growing tension.
The bill in question aims to cut sentences for people convicted in the January 8, 2023, riots in Brasília. That’s when Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed government buildings, much like the U.S. Capitol attack years before. Lawmakers backing the measure call it a step toward “pacification.” But critics, including Braga, say it’s really just a lifeline for Bolsonaro, who faces decades behind bars for his role in the failed coup attempt.
Around 4 p.m., Braga’s sit-in froze the debate. TV cameras from the official Câmara channel went dark about 90 minutes later, and reporters were ushered out as police swarmed the floor. By 6 p.m., officers dragged Braga away, suspending the session and emptying the chamber. It was a wild scene – the first time in Braga’s career that media got blocked during such a mess.
Supporters of the bill, like Paulinho da Força from the Solidariedade party, didn’t hold back. In a video shared by AFP, he said the changes could shave off nearly 25 years from Bolsonaro’s time in prison. That would free up over 100 people tied to the riots, too. But the Workers’ Party (PT), which leads the current government, slammed the idea as “unacceptable.”
This isn’t Braga’s first run-in with trouble. He’s already facing a vote to strip his seat over a scuffle earlier this year with a right-wing activist. The Ethics Council called his reaction “over the top.” Opposition groups had stalled similar pushes back in August, upset about Bolsonaro’s house arrest plans.
The dust-up has cracked open old wounds in Brazil’s divided politics. With Bolsonaro’s legal fights still dragging on, any whiff of favoritism sets off alarms. For now, the bill’s future hangs in the air, and Braga’s expulsion vote looms large. It shows how raw the scars from 2023 still feel in the halls of power.
As one observer put it, “This isn’t just about one law – it’s about whether Brazil can move past the shadow of a would-be dictator.” The coming days could decide if peace wins out, or if the fights just keep flaring up.