Overview

• In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, crowds estimated at about 40,000 in each city marched against proposals seen as shielding Jair Bolsonaro and his allies.
• Prominent musicians Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque joined a protest concert on Rio’s Copacabana beach.
• The lower house advanced a “shield” measure requiring secret votes to authorize charges or arrests of lawmakers and passed a fast-tracked amnesty for some January 8, 2023 rioters, both still pending in the Senate.
• Opponents argue the measures risk impunity, while Lula voiced support for the demonstrations and said he would block any amnesty.
• Bolsonaro was convicted this month over an alleged coup plot and sentenced to roughly 27 years, remains under house arrest, and plans to appeal.