Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vetoed a bill passed by congress that would have significantly reduced the potential prison sentence for former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted last year of plotting a coup. The veto occurred on the third anniversary of the January 8, 2023, riots in Brasília, when Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings to protest Lula's victory in the 2022 election.

The bill, approved by congress in December, aimed to revise the penal code in a way that would lessen the severity of punishments for crimes against the democratic rule of law. Critics argued the changes would disproportionately benefit Bolsonaro, who faces multiple investigations and potential charges related to his actions before, during, and after the 2022 election.

The riots in Brasília, which mirrored the U.S. Capitol attack in 2021, saw thousands of demonstrators vandalizing the Supreme Court, the presidential palace, and the National Congress. The protesters, rejecting Lula's victory, called for military intervention to remove him from office.

Lula's administration has characterized the riots as an attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government. Bolsonaro, while condemning the violence, has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the election results.

The veto now returns the bill to congress, where lawmakers can override Lula's decision with a majority vote in both houses. The debate over the bill is expected to be highly contentious, reflecting the deep political divisions within Brazil. Supporters of the bill argue it is necessary to correct what they see as overly harsh punishments for political offenses, while opponents maintain it would weaken the country's ability to defend its democratic institutions.