Recalling the three years since the attempted coup of January 2023, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday (Jan. 8) that the riots at the time serve as a reminder that democracy is not an unshakable achievement.
“[Democracy] will always be a work in progress, subject to constant harassment from old and new would-be dictators. That is why democracy must be cherished and defended tooth and nail, day after day,” he declared.
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During an official ceremony at the Planalto presidential palace, he emphasized the need to make clear that democracy is “more than just a fancy word in the dictionary,” adding that it requires building a fairer and less unequal country, “with more rights and fewer privileges.”
“It is more than the desire and the right to vote on election day – and then keep your voter card tucked away for the next four years. Democracy requires the effective participation of society in government decisions,” he said.
“Perhaps the most compelling evidence of the strength of Brazilian democracy is the trial of the coup plotters by the Supreme Court,” he concluded saying.
No sentence reduction
Earlier, President Lula vetoed Bill 2,162 of 2023 – known as Dosimetry Bill – which had been approved in December by Congress. The piece of legislation would reduce the sentences of those convicted for the anti-democratic riots of January 8 and for the attempted coup d'état.
“All of them had ample right to defense, were tried with transparency and impartiality. At the end of the trial, they were convicted based on robust evidence,” he noted.
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