In a decisive move on Thursday, Brazil's Congress overturned a presidential veto, paving the way for a dramatic reduction in former President Jair Bolsonaro's 27-year prison sentence for orchestrating a coup attempt after losing the 2022 election.
The conservative-dominated legislature voted overwhelmingly to enact a law that could cut Bolsonaro's jail time to just over two years. The bill alters how prison sentences are calculated, effectively slashing the term handed down by the Supreme Court in September.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had vetoed the measure, but lawmakers mustered the two-thirds majority needed to override him. The law may still face a constitutional challenge in the Supreme Court.
Bolsonaro, 71, was granted temporary house arrest in March due to health issues. He was convicted of plotting to assassinate Lula and his running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, with the backing of military leaders—though the scheme failed when top generals refused to support it.
Following the veto override, lawmakers erupted in chants of "Freedom!" Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president's eldest son and a senator, called the timing—coinciding with his 45th birthday—"a very special birthday present."
This marks the second legislative defeat for Lula this week. On Wednesday, the Senate rejected his nominee for the Supreme Court, Jorge Messias—the first time in decades a presidential pick for the court has been turned down. Flavio Bolsonaro now ties with Lula in opinion polls, signaling a shift in political momentum.