Former President Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after Brazil’s Supreme Court found him guilty of orchestrating a coup to cling to power following his electoral defeat in 2022. The decision, announced on Thursday, marks a historic first: Bolsonaro is the first Brazilian political figure to be prosecuted and convicted for involvement in an attempted coup.
The conviction was passed by a majority of the court’s five judges, with Justice Carmen Lucia casting the decisive vote in favour of Bolsonaro’s guilt. Only Justice Luiz Fux dissented, arguing that the Supreme Court should not be conducting what he described as a “political trial.” Before announcing her vote, Justice Lucia remarked, “There is no absolute immunity against the virus of authoritarianism, which creeps in insidiously, distilling its poison, contaminating freedom and human rights.”
The trial stems from Bolsonaro’s involvement in violent protests by his supporters on January 8, 2023. He faced five charges, including membership in an armed criminal organisation, attempts to violently dismantle democratic institutions, and the destruction of state property. The court heard evidence that the coup plotters, codenamed “Green and Yellow Dagger,” had intended to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice Moraes.
Opening the trial last week, Justice Alexandre de Moraes warned that under Bolsonaro’s leadership, “Brazil almost returned to a dictatorship,” referencing Bolsonaro’s repeated nostalgic remarks about the country’s military regime between 1964 and 1985.
Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest in Brasilia, has denied all charges, calling the proceedings politically motivated. He claimed the trial was designed to block his return to power ahead of the 2026 elections. In 2023, Brazil’s electoral commission barred him from running until 2030 due to abuse of power during his presidency. Bolsonaro’s defence contended that he had peacefully transferred power to Lula after the election defeat.
The verdict has already sparked outrage among Bolsonaro’s supporters. Congressman Gustavo Gayer labelled the sentence as an injustice and vowed to rally forces for Bolsonaro’s political comeback. “A 70-year-old man, imprisoned and monitored 24 hours a day. Accused of a coup that didn’t even happen,” Gayer said, promising to “rescue the country” and restore Bolsonaro as president.
The case has also escalated diplomatic tensions between Brazil and the United States. Former President Donald Trump, a close ally of Bolsonaro, called the trial a “witch hunt” and criticised the conviction as “very surprising.” Trump linked it to attempts against himself, stating, “That’s very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it at all,” while also describing Bolsonaro as “a good man.” Earlier this year, Trump threatened punitive tariffs on Brazil and sanctioned Justice Moraes in an attempt to shield Bolsonaro from prosecution.
Political analysts warn that the sentence could further polarise Brazil’s electorate. Claudio Couto of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation observed that the conviction may inadvertently energise Bolsonaro’s base ahead of the next election cycle. “Paradoxically, it could be useful,” he noted, underscoring how the trial may serve as a rallying point for right-wing forces.
As Brazil grapples with this unprecedented judicial verdict, the political landscape remains tense, with deep divides between supporters and opponents of Bolsonaro threatening to define the nation’s path forward.
