Brasília: Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro of plotting a coup to overturn the 2022 election, sentencing him to 27 years and three months in prison in a landmark ruling that could reshape the country’s political future.
Four out of five justices on the court’s panel voted to convict Bolsonaro on all five counts, including plotting a coup d’état, participating in an armed criminal organization, attempting to abolish Brazil’s democratic order by force, committing violent acts against state institutions, and damaging public property during the storming of government buildings on
Prosecutors alleged that Bolsonaro and his allies hatched a plan beginning in 2021 to undermine public trust in Brazil’s electronic voting system and to pressure the military into backing an overthrow of election results.
After losing to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October 2022 presidential election, Bolsonaro allegedly encouraged his supporters to mobilize in Brasília, culminating in the January 2023 riots that mirrored the U.S. Capitol attack of 2021.
Evidence presented in court included claims that Bolsonaro had full knowledge of a scheme that went as far as plotting to assassinate Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice Alexandre de Moraes who presided over his trial using explosives, weapons, or poison.
Bolsonaro denied wrongdoing, insisting the case was politically motivated.
At 70, Bolsonaro now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars, though his defense team is expected to file appeals.
The conviction also makes him ineligible to contest elections for the next eight years, effectively sidelining him from the 2026 general election.
The ruling has sharply polarized Brazil. Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters staged protests on Independence Day, denouncing the trial as a witch hunt.
His eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, claimed democracy itself was under threat, accusing Justice Moraes of authoritarianism.
The case has drawn international attention, with former U.S. President Donald Trump one of Bolsonaro’s closest political allies slamming the verdict.
Trump’s administration has already imposed heavy tariffs on Brazil and sanctioned Justice Moraes, calling the trial a violation of human rights. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also described the ruling as unjust.
Brazil’s government dismissed the criticism, saying it would not be “intimidated” by foreign pressure.
The conviction places Bolsonaro among a growing list of Latin American leaders to face criminal sentences after leaving office.
Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, Argentina’s Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and Brazil’s own Lula da Silva who served time for corruption before his conviction was annulled are all part of the region’s turbulent history of politics and accountability.
Justice Luiz Fux, the lone dissenter on the Supreme Court panel, argued for acquittal, saying Lula had never been overthrown and therefore no coup had taken place. He also claimed the court lacked jurisdiction over the case.
Still, with the majority verdict now delivered, Brazil finds itself at a turning point. The conviction of a former president for attempting to dismantle democracy underscores both the fragility and resilience of the country’s political system.
This is a developing story.
