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Lula Vetoes Key Provisions in Brazil's "Devastation Bill"
8 Aug
Summary
- Lula signs controversial "devastation bill" but vetoes key articles
- Vetoes aimed at protecting Brazil's environmental licensing system
- Congress expected to challenge Lula's vetoes, creating political standoff
On August 9, 2025, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed into law a controversial bill that had been heavily criticized by scientists and environmentalists as the "devastation bill." However, Lula also vetoed or amended 63 of the 398 provisions in the bill, which had been regarded as the most significant setback to Brazil's environmental protections in four decades.
Environmental campaigners had urged Lula to veto the bill entirely, but many welcomed his decision to strike down key articles that would have effectively dismantled the country's environmental licensing system. One of the most heavily criticized provisions, which would have allowed projects with "medium" environmental impact to obtain licenses through a self-declared online form without prior studies or regulatory review, was among those vetoed.
Despite the vetoes, Lula preserved a provision allowing the federal government to fast-track "strategic" or "priority" projects, a move that could pave the way for oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River. This decision has been heavily criticized by environmentalists.
The Lula administration now faces the challenge of defending the vetoes, as the largely opposition-controlled Congress has repeatedly defeated key government proposals, including by overturning previous presidential vetoes. An escalating political standoff further complicates the situation, as lawmakers aligned with former President Jair Bolsonaro are blocking legislative activity and demanding the passage of a bill granting amnesty to the far-right leader and others accused of a failed coup attempt.
