A panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court has sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison, finding him guilty of attempting a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 election. Bolsonaro is under house arrest in Brasilia and has the right to appeal the verdict.
Out of five justices on the panel, four convicted him on five charges, including leading an organized group intent on overthrowing democratic institutions. Justice Cármen Lúcia, one of the judges, said there was strong evidence that Bolsonaro orchestrated efforts to seize or maintain power illegally.
One justice, Luiz Fux, dissented, arguing that merely having ideas or isolated actions—even controversial ones—does not amount to an organized coup. Bolsonaro becomes the first former Brazilian president convicted of attempting a coup. The judgment has intensified already sharp political divides in Brazil. Supporters denounce the trial as political persecution, while others view it as a watershed moment for democratic accountability.
The verdict proves especially consequential for Brazil’s institutions: sectors like national security, regulatory bodies, and foreign affairs could be affected. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro allies are pushing for legislative amnesty, and political analysts expect him to name a successor likely to challenge President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in next year’s election.
