Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after being convicted of plotting a military coup to remain in power following his 2022 election defeat, in a landmark ruling that included plans to assassinate his successor.
Four out of five Supreme Court justices voted to convict the 70-year-old far-right leader on all five charges, making him the first former Brazilian president in history to be convicted of attacking democracy. The verdict leaves Bolsonaro facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
The conviction comes despite fierce opposition from US President Donald Trump, who has called the trial a “witch hunt” and imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Brazilian goods in retaliation for the prosecution of his close ally.
Plot to Kill President and Judge
The most shocking revelations from the trial involved a conspiracy to assassinate leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw Bolsonaro’s trial.
Federal prosecutors presented evidence that Bolsonaro had “full knowledge” of plans to use explosives, weapons of war, or poison to eliminate his political rivals as part of the coup plot that began in 2021.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, leading the case, accused Bolsonaro of being “the leader of a criminal organization” during nearly five hours of damning testimony on Tuesday. “The defendants committed all the criminal offenses imputed by the Attorney General’s Office,” Moraes declared.
January 8 Capitol Storming
The coup plot culminated in the storming of government buildings on January 8, 2023, when thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded and vandalised Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace – just one week after Lula took office.
The attack, which prosecutors say was orchestrated to trigger military intervention and remove the new president, deliberately echoed the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump.
Bolsonaro was convicted of:
- Plotting a coup d’état
- Taking part in an armed criminal organisation
- Attempting to abolish Brazil’s democratic order by force
- Committing violent acts against state institutions
- Damaging protected public property
Trump’s Furious Response
The conviction has severely strained US-Brazil relations, with President Trump imposing unprecedented sanctions on Brazil’s judiciary. The Trump administration has:
- Slapped 50% tariffs on all Brazilian imports
- Imposed personal sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes
- Revoked US visas for most members of Brazil’s Supreme Court
- Threatened further economic retaliation
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned: “This president is unafraid to use the economic might, the military might of the United States to protect free speech around the world.
Trump took to Truth Social to denounce the verdict, calling Bolsonaro “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk” in an apparent confused reference, before correcting himself and declaring the trial a political persecution.
Military Officers Also Convicted
In a historic development, seven co-defendants were also convicted alongside Bolsonaro, including five military officers – marking the first time since Brazil became a republic 140 years ago that military officials have been punished for attempting to overthrow democracy.
Among them were three former generals and the former head of the navy, all facing decades in prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
Damning Evidence from Insider
The most damaging testimony came from Bolsonaro’s trusted former aide, Mauro Cid, who struck a plea bargain with prosecutors. Cid revealed that Bolsonaro personally edited a “coup draft” decree that outlined plans to:
- Overturn the 2022 election results
- Arrest the head of the Senate
- Detain three Supreme Court justices
- Create a commission to call for new elections
Bolsonaro allegedly modified the document so only Justice Moraes would be arrested, demonstrating his personal involvement in the conspiracy.
Split Verdict Opens Door to Appeals
Whilst four justices voted to convict, Justice Luiz Fux broke ranks on Wednesday, voting to acquit Bolsonaro of all charges. Fux argued that the events did not constitute a coup as Lula was never actually overthrown and claimed the court lacked jurisdiction.
This dissenting vote could provide grounds for appeals that may drag the case closer to Brazil’s 2026 presidential election, in which Bolsonaro has vowed to run despite being barred from office until 2030.
“Trump of the Tropics” Falls
Nicknamed the “Trump of the Tropics,” Bolsonaro rose to power championing gun rights, traditional family values, and anti-gay stances whilst wielding social media with unfiltered bravado. His presidency was marked by:
- Intense scepticism about COVID-19 vaccines
- Embrace of Amazon deforestation for mining and cattle grazing
- Record-high destruction of the rainforest
- Increasingly messianic rhetoric about his political mission
“I have three alternatives for my future: being arrested, killed or victory,” he declared in 2021. “No man on Earth will threaten me.”
Son Denounces “Dictator” Judge
Bolsonaro’s eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, condemned the verdict on X: “Under the pretext of defending democracy, the pillars of democracy were broken to condemn an innocent person who dared not to bow to a dictator named Alexandre de Moraes.”
His wife Michelle posted: “When coherence and a sense of justice prevail over vengeance and lies, there is no room for cruel persecution or biased judgments.”
Historic Significance
Justice Carmen Lucia, voting to convict, called the case “almost a meeting between Brazil and its past, its present, and its future,” referencing previous attempts to overthrow democracy in the country’s history.
The conviction represents a dramatic break from Brazil’s tradition of impunity. Under the 1979 Amnesty Law, the country never prosecuted military officials responsible for abuses during the 1964-1985 dictatorship – a dark era that Bolsonaro openly admired.
Fight Continues
Despite the conviction, Bolsonaro retains substantial political support, having won 49% of the vote in 2022 and still drawing tens of thousands to street rallies. His allies in Congress are expected to seek amnesty through legislation.
Defence lawyers will file appeals to the full Supreme Court, but once those challenges are exhausted, the 27-year sentence can be enforced – potentially seeing the former army captain die in prison.
As Brazil’s democracy faces its gravest test since the end of military rule, the conviction of Jair Bolsonaro marks a watershed moment in the country’s struggle between authoritarian nostalgia and democratic institutions.
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Image Credit:
Presidente Jair Messias Bolsonaro — photo by US Embassy Brasília, Public Domain (U.S. federal government work, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101 & 105).
