U.S. backs bill that could reduce Jair Bolsonaro’s sentence in Brazil

Washington.– U.S. Under Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed his concern this Thursday about Brazil’s “attempts” to “use the legal process to instrumentalize political differences” and celebrated the approval of a bill in the Chamber of Deputies that seeks to reduce the sentence of former President Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022) as “a first step” to address these abuses. Landau underscored, on his official X account, that the United States sees in this approval an opportunity to direct improvements in bilateral relations, reinforcing the importance of judicial independence and respect for the rule of law as pillars of democracy. “We are finally seeing the beginning of a path towards improving our relationships,” the official stated.

The project to reduce Bolsonaro’s sentence

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved in the early hours of Wednesday a bill that seeks to reduce the sentences of the far-right former president (2019-2022), sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison, and other participants in the coup acts that occurred after the 2022 elections. The measure has generated criticism both inside and outside Brazil, as it is perceived as a possible political use of justice. The project, which could see Bolsonaro leave prison under a closed regime in just over two years, will be put to a vote in the Senate and, if approved, will pass to the hands of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will decide whether to veto it or not. “Now what needs to be done is to let the Legislative Branch speak. When it reaches the Executive Branch’s desk, I will make my decision,” Lula affirmed this Thursday in an interview with TV Alterosa, from the state of Minas Gerais. Debates about judicial reforms have sparked citizen protests and concerns from international organizations about the strength of democratic institutions in Brazil. The United States has been closely monitoring the situation in the South American country, reiterating its commitment to democratic stability in the region and the need for justice not to be used for political purposes, at a time when the 2026 elections are approaching and polarization continues to mark the national political agenda.