Brazil’s ex-president Bolsonaro jailed 27 years for coup plot
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for plotting a coup in a bid to cling to power after losing the 2022 election.
According to Reuters, the Supreme Court ruled 4–1 to convict the 70-year-old, making him the first former Brazilian leader prosecuted for undermining democracy. The Trump administration denounced the ruling.
Justice Carmen Lucia, speaking before casting her vote, said the case represented “a convergence of Brazil’s past, present and future,” referencing the country’s history of military coups and ongoing threats to democracy.
She said there was ample evidence Bolsonaro acted with the intent to erode democratic institutions.
Four out of five justices found Bolsonaro guilty on five charges: involvement in an armed criminal organisation, attempting to overthrow democracy through violence, organising a coup, and destroying state and protected cultural property.
The conviction marks a dramatic fall for the former army captain, who openly admired Brazil’s 1964–1985 military dictatorship. It also follows legal crackdowns this year on other far-right figures, including Marine Le Pen in France and Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines.
The ruling is expected to deepen tensions with US President Donald Trump, a close ally of Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly called the case a “witch hunt.” Washington has already imposed tariffs on Brazil, sanctioned the chief justice, and revoked visas for nearly all Supreme Court justices.
On Thursday, Trump again condemned the verdict as “terrible” and “very bad for Brazil.” Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo, speaking from the US, told Reuters he hoped Trump would impose further sanctions on Brazil and its judiciary.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that the court’s decision was “unjust” and vowed Washington would respond to this witch hunt.
The judgment was not unanimous. Justice Luiz Fux cast the lone dissenting vote, questioning the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction and calling for acquittal on all charges.
His dissent paves the way for an appeal, though the lengthy process could stretch close to Brazil’s October 2026 presidential election—an election Bolsonaro has vowed to contest despite being barred from holding office.
