Brazilians Stand Up for Democracy

In Brazil, people are not happy. They are protesting in big cities. Why? Because some lawmakers want to make the punishment for former President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters less severe. These people were found guilty of trying to overturn the results of the 2022 election. Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison. But now, a bill in Congress might reduce his sentence to just over two years. This bill also affects his supporters who attacked government buildings after the election. The bill is not yet law. It still needs to be approved by the Senate. Thousands of people gathered in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They want to show that they will not accept this. A teacher named Claudio Pfeil said, "We won't accept even a centimeter of retreat. " Famous singers like Caetano Veloso also supported the protests. This is a big deal. It is the first time Brazil has punished military officers for trying to overthrow democracy. The current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is expected to veto the bill if it passes the Senate. But Congress could override his veto, which might lead to more legal battles. The protests show that many Brazilians care about democracy. They do not want to see those who tried to undermine it go unpunished. The situation is still developing, and the outcome is uncertain.