The indictment against Bolsonaro

Amnesty proposal taken up by Brazilian Congress

The Brazilian Congress has voted to give priority to a proposal for amnesty for former President Jair Bolsonaro and the other convicted coup plotters – without any proposal being ready. This is reported by Brazilian media.

Bolsonaro, his co-conspirators and hundreds of supporters who participated in the storming of Congress in 2023 have been sentenced to long prison sentences. Political allies of Bolsonaro want to see an amnesty for those who participated in “political demonstrations” from the October 2022 elections onwards. The most radical want to see a total amnesty, while others want to see reduced sentences. The left does not want any amnesty at all.

– I think we have to achieve something in between, which maybe neither the left nor the right likes but which can be liked by a majority, says Congressman Paulinho da Força, who the speaker appointed as rapporteur of the proposal.

Lula on the relationship with Trump: “It does not exist”

There is “no relationship” between Lula da Silva and Donald Trump. This is what the Brazilian president says in an interview with the BBC, describing the statement as the clearest signal yet that communication between the presidents is non-existent.

They have never spoken directly to each other and Lula does not seem interested in forming a relationship. If the leaders passed each other during the UN General Assembly next week, Lula would greet each other because he is “a civilized citizen,” he says. But he adds that Trump is not “emperor of the world.”

Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazil this summer, due to the indictment of Lula’s representative Jair Bolsonaro, who was allied with Trump. Lula calls the tariffs “highly political.”

The indictment against Bolsonaro – the case at hand

• On September 11, 2025, Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempted coup d'état and several other crimes after losing the 2022 election.
• Four out of five judges on the Supreme Court voted in favor of a conviction against Jair Bolsonaro.
• The verdict has led to strong reactions both in Brazil and internationally, with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticizing the legal process as a "witch hunt".
• Bolsonaro has been placed under house arrest and in handcuffs after violating restrictions, and he denies all charges and claims political persecution.
• Despite the verdict, Bolsonaro's political movement is expected to remain influential, and discussions are underway about who can take over the leadership ahead of the next election.