In a landmark and historic ruling, Brazil’s Supreme Court has convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in power following his 2022 electoral defeat. The court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison, making him the first former president in Brazil’s history to be found guilty of such a crime. The decision marks a powerful victory for Brazilian democracy and a devastating blow to the populist far-right movement that Bolsonaro built.
The conviction came after a panel of Supreme Court justices voted to find Bolsonaro guilty of a series of charges, including attempting a coup, involvement in an armed criminal organization, and the violent abolition of democratic rule of law. Prosecutors argued that Bolsonaro was the leader of a criminal organization that began plotting in 2021 to undermine the country’s electoral system and seize power if he lost the 2022 election. The plot culminated in the violent attacks on government buildings by his supporters on January 8, 2023, a week after his rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was inaugurated.
The evidence presented against Bolsonaro included a draft presidential decree that would have granted him emergency powers to take control of the country’s top electoral court. Prosecutors also alleged that the plot involved a plan to assassinate President Lula da Silva and other high-ranking officials. While Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, has denied any wrongdoing and claims he is the victim of political persecution, the court was ultimately convinced by the evidence presented by the Attorney General’s Office.
The ruling is expected to deepen political divisions within Brazil. Bolsonaro’s allies have vowed to appeal the verdict to the full 11-justice Supreme Court. However, the conviction is seen by many as a powerful message that no one, not even a former president, is above the law. The trial has been a test for Brazil’s young democracy, which ended a military dictatorship in 1985. The conviction of not only Bolsonaro but also seven of his co-defendants, including high-ranking military officers, is a powerful precedent against impunity.
The verdict also has international implications, particularly for Brazil’s relationship with the United States. President Donald Trump, a close ally of Bolsonaro, has publicly called the case a “witch hunt” and has reportedly imposed sanctions and tariffs on Brazil in an attempt to pressure the court to drop the case. Despite this pressure, the Brazilian judiciary proceeded with the trial, with Justice Cármen Lúcia, who cast the deciding vote, stating, “The law must apply equally to all.” The conviction of Bolsonaro is a significant moment in Latin American politics, demonstrating that even the most powerful leaders can be held accountable for attempting to subvert democracy.
