UPDATE 1-Brazil's Lula vetoes bill cutting former President Bolsonaro's sentence

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula ‌da Silva vetoed on Thursday a bill passed by Congress cutting former President Jair ⁠Bolsonaro's 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election.

The bill approved by lawmakers in December was set to ​cut the former right-wing president's prison term to just over ‍two years. Congress can still override Lula's veto. The bill also reduced sentences for those convicted over their roles in a January 2023 riot, ⁠when ‌Bolsonaro supporters invaded ⁠and ransacked the presidential palace, Supreme Court and Congress.

About 2,000 people were arrested ‍over the attack, which drew comparisons to the January 2021 attack ​on the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Many of those ⁠in Brazil have been convicted by the Supreme Court of attempting a coup, ⁠among other crimes. "All of the (coup plotters) were tried transparently and impartially, and at the end of the trial ⁠they were convicted on the basis of strong evidence," Lula said ⁠at an ‌event in Brasilia.

The leftist leader had already vowed to veto

the bill in December. Bolsonaro began serving ⁠his sentence in November.