The ex-president had faced 27 years behind bars for his coup attempt, but the term could now be dramatically reduced
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenAgence France-PressePublished: 4:39am, 1 May 2026Brazil’s Congress on Thursday overturned President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s veto of a law dramatically reducing the prison sentence of his arch-rival Jair Bolsonaro, the second major defeat for Lula in as many days.
Former president Bolsonaro, 71, was sentenced last year to 27 years behind bars for coup plotting over his attempt to cling to power after losing the 2022 elections to Lula.
The left-wing Lula had attempted to block a subsequent push by the conservative-majority Congress to reduce Bolsonaro’s term to a little over two years.
But lawmakers on Thursday overrode his veto of a law changing how prison sentences are calculated.
The opposition carried the vote by a large majority of 318 to 144 in the Chamber of Deputies and 49 to 24 in the Senate.
Bolsonaro supporters storm Brazil’s Congress and presidential palace
Bolsonaro supporters storm Brazil’s Congress and presidential palaceThe vote represents another major setback for Lula, who is campaigning for a fourth term, after the Senate on Wednesday rejected his pick for Supreme Court justice, Jorge Messias.
