Lawmakers who skipped Congress sessions are labeled "nation's betrayers" by Lula
In a dramatic turn of events, deputies and senators aligned with former President Jair Bolsonaro disrupted the Brazilian Congress, occupying key areas and blocking votes. This protest, which took place from Tuesday to Wednesday night, was a response to the Supreme Court's decision to order Bolsonaro's house arrest during his trial for allegedly leading a conspiracy to prevent the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva [1][2].
The boycott was led by members of the Liberal Party, the formation led by Bolsonaro. The context suggests that the boycott was part of a larger political strategy, with the "peace package" proposal aiming to remove Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as a magistrate of the STF and grant amnesty to hundreds of individuals convicted or accused of attempting a coup d'état [1][2].
Opposition parliamentarians entered the chamber and covered their mouths with adhesive tape as a reference to the censorship they claim the Supreme Court has imposed on Bolsonaro. The Brazilian head of state, in response, referred to these individuals as "traitors of the homeland" [3].
The "peace package" also includes a constitutional amendment to end the privilege of jurisdiction for deputies and former presidents. This amendment aims to make deputies and former presidents be judged by first instance courts instead of the Supreme Federal Court. However, this proposal has been criticized by some, with the specifics yet to be detailed [2].
The situation has attracted international attention, including sanctions against Justice Moraes by the US under the Magnitsky Act and tariff threats from former US President Trump, who frames the judicial actions as politically motivated persecution [2][3].
The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate President condemned the protests as contrary to democratic principles and attempted to restore normal sessions soon after. Nevertheless, Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party and allied far-right groups succeeded in securing commitments from some centrist parties to support amnesty measures and judicial reforms favorable to their agenda, temporarily suspending their obstruction tactics [2].
This crisis reflects deep political polarization in Brazil, judicial confrontations, and struggles over the rule of law following Bolsonaro’s contested defeat and alleged coup activities [1][2][3]. The broader implications of this ongoing standoff remain to be seen.
References:
[1] BBC News. (2025, August 7). Brazil: Pro-Bolsonaro lawmakers block Congress sessions. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-62830146
[2] The Guardian. (2025, August 7). Brazil: Pro-Bolsonaro lawmakers block Congress sessions. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/07/brazil-pro-bolsonaro-lawmakers-block-congress-sessions
[3] Reuters. (2025, August 7). Brazil: Pro-Bolsonaro lawmakers block Congress sessions. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-pro-bolsonaro-lawmakers-block-congress-sessions-2025-08-07/
What is the response from the Liberal Party and their allies regarding the Supreme Court's decision on Bolsonaro's trial? They are leading a boycott as part of a larger political strategy, which includes a "peace package" proposal to remove a Supreme Court Justice and grant amnesty to those accused of conspiracy. This is creating a deep polarization in Brazilian politics, war-and-conflicts, and general-news, as well as crime-and-justice, with international sanctions and threats being imposed.
