Brasilia, December 23 – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed a decree granting a Christmas pardon to prisoners, but without favoring those sentenced today for involvement in the January 8 coup attempt.
So far, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) has punished 30 perpetrators of the attacks on the headquarters of the Three Powers in Brasilia.
That day, calling for military intervention and rejecting Lula's takeover, extremist supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro broke into and looted the buildings of the National Congress, the STF and the Planalto Palace, the seat of the executive branch.
In addition to the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, the sanctions are responsible for the crimes of armed criminal organization, coup d'etat, damage to property and deterioration of declared assets. This constitutional absolution was the first Christmas of Lula's third term and is intended for those who meet the requirements set out in a presidential decree.
If forgiveness is advocated, the prisoner's sentence is extinguished and he can leave prison.
Beneficiaries include people convicted of crimes committed without violence or serious threat, women sentenced to a sentence of eight years or less and suffering from a chronic illness or disability, and prisoners who are elderly or suffer from incurable diseases.
The text does not take into account those convicted of serious violent crimes against women, the environment and the democratic rule of law, as is the case with those convicted of the anti-democratic episodes of January 8th.
Leaders of criminal groups are also excluded from the Christmas pardon.
The pardon is not automatic. Once published, it will be necessary for each inmate's right to commutation attorneys and public defenders to ensure justice.
The day before, Lula celebrated an early Christmas with thousands of collectors of recyclable materials and renewed his commitment to “restoring the dignity of the poorest people.”
Together with several of his ministers, the former union member attended a recycling cooperation fair in Brasilia, where around three thousand people dedicated to garbage collection gather, most of whom are homeless.
“Destroying is much easier and faster than building and restoring,” Lula told those present.
He pointed out that rebuilding Brazil is about giving dignity to the poorest.
He promised that in the three years he remains in power, “the necessary conditions will be created so that they stop being invisible and can be proud of their work.”