Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has found an unusual way to trim his 27-year prison sentence: by immersing himself in literature. His lawyers have successfully petitioned for him to participate in a scheme that allows inmates to reduce their sentences by reading books, with the condition that they submit written reports of what they've read.
It appears Bolsonaro has never been known for his love of reading, having once famously declared "I don't have time to read" and stating it's been three years since he last picked up a book. However, Brazilian law provides a loophole through which prisoners can cut their sentences by four days for each title they've read. A supreme court judge has authorized Bolsonaro to take part in this scheme, despite his dubious past and reputation as a staunch opponent of democracy and the arts.
Bolsonaro's approved reading list includes works on Indigenous rights, racism, the environment, and the violence perpetuated by Brazil's 1964-85 dictatorship – a regime he openly supported. The list features books such as Ana Maria Gonçalves' "Um Defeito de Cor" (A Colour Defect), which tells the history of Brazil from the perspective of a Black woman, as well as Philip Bunting's children's non-fiction picture book "Democracy!".
The books on the list vary in length, with some titles exceeding 1,000 pages. It remains to be seen whether Bolsonaro will actually read these volumes, or simply use them to reduce his sentence. In the past, he has shown a willingness to present himself as knowledgeable and intellectual when it suits him, but this appears to be a case of desperate tactics in an effort to trim his prison sentence.
To benefit from the scheme, prisoners must prove they have actually read the books by submitting written reports to prison authorities. Bolsonaro's transfer to a maximum-security prison in Brasília after spending Christmas imprisoned at a federal police base has raised concerns about his continued eligibility for this program. One book on the list, Marcelo Rubens Paiva's "I'm Still Here", deals with the plight of prisoners who disappeared into torture centers during the dictatorship – a theme that is likely to resonate deeply with Bolsonaro's own history and motivations.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Bolsonaro will actually engage with these books or simply use them as a way to reduce his sentence. The decision highlights the complexities and contradictions of Brazil's justice system, where even those who have committed serious crimes can find ways to manipulate the system through literary loopholes.
It appears Bolsonaro has never been known for his love of reading, having once famously declared "I don't have time to read" and stating it's been three years since he last picked up a book. However, Brazilian law provides a loophole through which prisoners can cut their sentences by four days for each title they've read. A supreme court judge has authorized Bolsonaro to take part in this scheme, despite his dubious past and reputation as a staunch opponent of democracy and the arts.
Bolsonaro's approved reading list includes works on Indigenous rights, racism, the environment, and the violence perpetuated by Brazil's 1964-85 dictatorship – a regime he openly supported. The list features books such as Ana Maria Gonçalves' "Um Defeito de Cor" (A Colour Defect), which tells the history of Brazil from the perspective of a Black woman, as well as Philip Bunting's children's non-fiction picture book "Democracy!".
The books on the list vary in length, with some titles exceeding 1,000 pages. It remains to be seen whether Bolsonaro will actually read these volumes, or simply use them to reduce his sentence. In the past, he has shown a willingness to present himself as knowledgeable and intellectual when it suits him, but this appears to be a case of desperate tactics in an effort to trim his prison sentence.
To benefit from the scheme, prisoners must prove they have actually read the books by submitting written reports to prison authorities. Bolsonaro's transfer to a maximum-security prison in Brasília after spending Christmas imprisoned at a federal police base has raised concerns about his continued eligibility for this program. One book on the list, Marcelo Rubens Paiva's "I'm Still Here", deals with the plight of prisoners who disappeared into torture centers during the dictatorship – a theme that is likely to resonate deeply with Bolsonaro's own history and motivations.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Bolsonaro will actually engage with these books or simply use them as a way to reduce his sentence. The decision highlights the complexities and contradictions of Brazil's justice system, where even those who have committed serious crimes can find ways to manipulate the system through literary loopholes.
I gotta say, this is a pretty wild move by Bolsonaro 
. Reading books as a way to get outta prison? It just seems like he's trying to save his own skin 
. And let's be real, the books on that list are gonna be a real challenge for him 
. I mean, who knew he was into Indigenous rights and the environment? 
Not me, that's for sure. But hey, if it works out for him, more power to him 
. Still, it just goes to show how complex and weird the justice system can be in places like Brazil 
.
I'm reading this news about Jair Bolsonaro and he's actually getting credits for doing his reading homework? 
. I mean, who comes up with this scheme anyway? 
I wonder what his favorite book is gonna be on the list... Is he actually gonna read them or just pretend to? 
And what's with the books about Indigenous rights and dictatorship? That's some heavy stuff. Maybe he'll finally learn something new? 
But let's be real, it's probably just a PR stunt at this point 
.
. And can we talk about the fact that he's got some serious history with democracy and arts? 
.
anyway, it'll be interesting to see if he actually reads these books or just uses them for PR.
. On one hand, it's pretty cool that Bolsonaro is getting the chance to learn some new things and maybe even grow a bit as a person...but on the other hand, I think he's just trying to get out of his sentence 
It seems like a pretty desperate tactic to me.
.
. But for now, I'm still skeptical about Bolsonaro's intentions 
I'm not surprised to see Bolsonaro taking advantage of this loophole, considering his history of trying to present himself as a defender of democracy and Brazilian values. The fact that he's only reading books on topics he's been vocal about criticizing in the past is quite suspicious. 
The real question is whether he'll actually put in the effort to read these books and come away with any meaningful understanding or remorse for his actions. Time will tell if this scheme amounts to more than just a clever PR move. 
, like he never had a problem with it in the first place 
, but seriously, isn't this just a way for him to save face and pretend to be a better person when he really hasn't changed?