Elected officials supporting Bolsonaro decide to boycott congressional duties
In the heart of Brazilian politics, a significant crisis is unfolding as the Congress faces a boycott led by far-right parliamentarians from the Liberal Party (PL), allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The boycott began in response to the Supreme Federal Court's (STF) decision to order the house arrest of Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial for an alleged coup attempt following his 2022 election loss to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The house arrest order was imposed by Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes after Bolsonaro violated previous precautionary measures limiting his social media activity, which were put in place following the weekend protests held by his supporters across several cities. Far-right lawmakers view the arrest as a "legal aberration" and retaliation, and they are actively pushing for the impeachment of Justice Moraes, accusing him of overreach and "revenge."
The boycott has resulted in the cancellation of sessions and the occupation of the boards of directors in both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. Legislators, including the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, Hugo Motta and Davi Alcolumbre, have insisted on respect and dialogue to discuss the issues on the institutional agenda. However, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues has declared that this action is not an obstruction, but "a new January 8."
The boycott is not just about house arrest. It also includes demands for a broad amnesty for those involved in the January 8, 2023, violent attacks on government institutions, which involved Bolsonaro supporters demanding military intervention against Lula's government. The amnesty would benefit hundreds of 'Bolsonarists' convicted for participating in these attacks.
The "peace package" proposed by the opposition also includes a constitutional amendment to end the privilege of jurisdiction for legislators and former presidents, as well as a bill to remove Alexandre de Moraes as a magistrate of the STF. The opposition legislators have made the normalization of the Congress's work conditional upon the voting of a series of bills, including this amnesty bill.
This political crisis has garnered international attention, with the United States criticizing the house arrest of Bolsonaro. Additionally, US officials have imposed sanctions on Justice Moraes under the Magnitsky Act, accusing him of human rights abuses such as arbitrary detention and suppression of freedom of expression. This has further polarized the political climate in Brazil, with Bolsonaro and his allies labeling Moraes as a dictator, while Lula's government insists on prosecuting Bolsonaro to uphold democracy.
As the situation unfolds, the future of Brazilian politics remains uncertain, with a deep political crisis fueled by far-right resistance to judicial actions against Bolsonaro. The boycott and demands for amnesty continue, while Bolsonaro remains under house arrest amid an ongoing coup-related trial and strong international attention to Brazil's judicial and political clashes.
[1] BBC News. (2023). Brazil: Far-right politicians lead Congress boycott over Bolsonaro arrest. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-64421336
[2] Reuters. (2023). U.S. imposes sanctions on Brazil's top electoral court judge over Bolsonaro case. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-imposes-sanctions-brazils-top-electoral-court-judge-over-bolsonaro-case-2023-03-24/
[3] The Guardian. (2023). Brazil: Bolsonaro supporters stage protests as ex-president faces arrest. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/20/brazil-bolsonaro-supporters-stage-protests-as-ex-president-faces-arrest
[4] Al Jazeera. (2023). Brazil's Congress cancels sessions amid Bolsonaro boycott. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/20/brazils-congress-cancels-sessions-amid-bolsonaro-boycott
[5] AP News. (2023). Brazil's Bolsonaro house arrest sparks crisis, protests. [online] Available at: https://apnews.com/article/brazil-politics-jair-bolsonaro-house-arrest-brazil-news-55d17b32b104688b65c416768c31271a
- The ongoing standoff in the Brazilian Congress, led by far-right parliamentarians from the Liberal Party, is not merely over the house arrest of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, but also encompasses demands for a broad amnesty for his supporters involved in the January 8, 2023, violence, and calls for the removal of Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes.
- Amidst the boycott, the future of Brazilian politics remains uncertain, with the political climate polarized by the international scrutiny of the house arrest of Bolsonaro and US sanctions against Justice Moraes. The crisis is fueled by far-right resistance to judicial actions against Bolsonaro and ongoing demands for amnesty, while the ongoing coup-related trial of Bolsonaro continues to make headlines in general-news and policy-and-legislation circles.
