Tens of thousands of Brazilians protested across the country against a bill that could grant amnesty to ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of plotting a coup and sentenced to prison. The protests, supported by various social groups and President Lula, oppose the proposed constitutional amendment making it harder to prosecute lawmakers, reflecting deep political divisions in Brazil. Lula has vowed to veto the bill if passed, emphasizing the fight against impunity.
Tens of thousands of Brazilians protested in major cities against legislative efforts to shield Bolsonaro and lawmakers from courts, marking the strongest leftist demonstrations in years, with protests denouncing impunity, supporting Bolsonaro's sentencing, and defending democracy.
Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan separatist leader currently living in Belgium, has announced his candidacy for the upcoming regional elections in Catalonia, expressing confidence in the controversial Catalan amnesty bill that may allow him to return to his native land. Despite facing uncertainty and opposition, Puigdemont sees the election as a de facto referendum on Catalonia's independence from Spain and is determined to reclaim the presidency he was removed from following the 2017 independence vote.
Spanish lawmakers rejected a divisive Catalan amnesty bill, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's left-wing minority government, which depends on a patchwork of support to pass legislation. The bill, demanded by the hardline separatist party JxCat in exchange for its parliamentary support, was voted against after its last-minute amendments were rejected. The bill, which would apply to those wanted by the justice system over the 2017 Catalan independence bid, faces hurdles in the Senate and legal challenges, with some members of the judiciary opposing it.
Tens of thousands protested in Madrid against the Spanish government's plan to grant amnesty to Catalan separatists involved in the 2017 secession bid, with the rally organized by the conservative opposition party. The bill, a key condition for support from Catalan parties in the coalition government, will be considered in Spain's lower house of Parliament on Tuesday, and if approved, it would prevent legal action against those involved in the secession attempt.
Spain's Socialist Party, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has filed a controversial amnesty bill that would grant amnesty to individuals prosecuted for their involvement in the Catalan separatist movement over the past decade. The bill, which is expected to pass in the lower house of parliament, aims to resolve the political conflict in Catalonia and heal wounds. However, it is likely to face opposition in the upper house controlled by the center-right Popular Party. The amnesty would cancel penalties imposed on over 300 people linked to the independence movement, including those involved in the failed 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
