Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president, has been convicted of attempting a coup to remain in office following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election. He is the first former leader in Latin America’s largest economy to be found guilty of attempting to overturn an election, a charge he has consistently denied. Four of the five Supreme Court justices voted in favour of the conviction on Thursday, sentencing him to 27 years and three months in prison, although immediate incarceration is not expected.
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Prosecutors accused Bolsonaro of five crimes, including attempting a coup, participating in an armed criminal organisation, attempting the violent abolition of democratic rule, causing damage qualified by violence, and deteriorating listed heritage. Evidence presented by the attorney general indicated that Bolsonaro sought to gather Cabinet and military officials to discuss an emergency decree that would have annulled the election results, following unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the case, stated that Bolsonaro’s actions from 2021 through 8 January 2023 constituted an attempted coup, including undermining Brazil’s electronic voting system and encouraging riots aimed at forcing a military takeover.
Although Bolsonaro will not go to prison immediately, he will remain under house arrest. The court has up to 60 days to publish the full ruling, after which his lawyers have five days to submit motions for clarification. They have indicated they will attempt to appeal both the conviction and sentence before the full Supreme Court of 11 justices, though legal experts consider it unlikely to be accepted. If the sentence becomes final, Bolsonaro could serve time under special incarceration rules for former presidents, potentially at the Federal Police’s main facility in Brasília.
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The conviction has drawn international attention, particularly from the United States. Former President Donald Trump described it as a “witch hunt” and linked it to a 50% tariff on imported Brazilian goods. Observers suggest the U.S. could impose sanctions on Brazilian government officials or the judiciary, echoing previous measures against Justice de Moraes. Domestically, Bolsonaro remains a significant political force. The conviction could prompt him to designate a political successor for next year’s general election and may encourage allied lawmakers to pursue amnesty measures through Congress.
