Alcolumbre rules out amnesty for coup plotters: "it's not an issue"

Brazil Agency - Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (União/AP) argued that the bill that provides amnesty for those convicted of attempted coups, currently under consideration in the Chamber of Deputies, is not a matter for Brazilians.

"This isn't a topic we're debating. When we talk about this constantly, we're giving ourselves, in our society, the opportunity to discuss a topic that isn't a Brazilian issue," Alcolumbre stated.

For the senator, the accusation by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) for attempted coup d'état against former president Jair Bolsonaro and 33 other people must be strictly legal, without contaminating the political environment of parliament.

"I understand and trust that the Judiciary will handle this within the parameters established by Brazilian law and regulations, impartially, and cautiously. It's inappropriate to turn this into a political procedure," he added.

Following the PGR's complaint, former President Jair Bolsonaro's allies in the National Congress intensified their efforts to advance the Amnesty bill for those involved in January 8, 2023, when Bolsonaro supporters vandalized the headquarters of power in Brasília, demanding a military coup in Brazil.  

The PGR complaint alleges that there was a coup plot led by former President Jair Bolsonaro to remain in power even after his defeat at the polls in 2022, including plans to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his vice president, Geraldo Alckmin, and the minister of the Supreme Federal Court (STF). 

Those involved deny the accusations and maintain that they are being politically persecuted. In a statement, the former president's defense team said they were "appalled and outraged by the accusation." The statement affirms that Bolsonaro "never supported any movement aimed at deconstructing the democratic rule of law or the institutions that underpin it," said lawyer Paulo Cunha Bueno.