Brazilians take to the streets to celebrate Bolsonaro conviction

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/12/brazilians-take-to-the-streets-to-celebrate-bolsonaro-conviction

Thousands of Brazilians have taken to the streets to rejoice at Jair Bolsonaro’s conviction for plotting a coup, as progressive politicians celebrated the historic move and rightwing figures linked to Donald Trump responded with anger and threats.

Chile’s leftwing president, Gabriel Boric, led regional congratulations of the decision to jail Bolsonaro for 27 years for leading a criminal organisation that sought to seize power after the far-right populist lost the 2022 election.

“My respect to Brazilian democracy which fended off a coup attempt and today judges and convicts those responsible for it. They tried to destroy [democracy] and today it emerges strengthened,” Boric tweeted, adding: “Democracy always!”

Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, said: “All putschists must be convicted. Those are the rules of democracy.”