Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup to stay in power after his 2022 election defeat.
The far-right politician, who ruled Brazil between 2019 and 2022, is under house arrest in the capital, Brasilia.
A panel of five Supreme Court justices handed down the sentence several hours after they found the 70-year-old guilty on five counts.
The counts were trying to stage a coup, being part of an armed criminal organisation, attempting violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, being implicated in violence, and posing a serious threat to the state’s assets and listed heritage.
Bolsonaro‘s lawyers have said they will appeal against the verdict.
The ruling marks a historic moment for Brazil, will deepen political divisions and is also likely to prompt a backlash from the United States government – with Donald Trump already sharing his thoughts on the vote.
Bolsonaro is the first former Brazilian president to be convicted of attempting a coup.
He has not attended the court proceedings, and on Thursday, he was seen at the garage of his property, but did not talk to the media.
President Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, has said he was surprised and “very unhappy” with the decision.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he said he always found Bolsonaro “outstanding” and said the conviction is “very bad for Brazil”.
Mr Trump previously called the case a “witch hunt”, slapped Brazil with tariff hikes, and revoked US visas for most members of Brazil’s high court.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has also not ruled out military intervention from the US when asked at a recent press briefing.
Brazil’s Supreme Court also faced pressure domestically during the case, with Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party – previously called the Party of the Republic – representing nearly half of voters.
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Justice Carmen Lucia. Pic: AP
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been overseeing the case, said on Tuesday that Bolsonaro was the leader of a coup plot and of a criminal organisation, and voted in favour of convicting him.
Justices Flavio Dino, Carmen Lucia, and Cristiano Zanin sided with Justice Moraes in the trial.
Justice Lucia said she was convinced by the evidence the attorney general’s office put forward against Bolsonaro, saying: “He is the instigator, the leader of an organisation that orchestrated every possible move to maintain or seize power.”
Another justice, Luiz Fux, disagreed and voted to acquit the ex-president of all charges.
Bolsonaro had been previously banned from running for office until 2030 in a different case.
He is expected to choose an heir who is likely to challenge President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva next year.
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Brazil’s institutions have long been vulnerable to crises and ruptures: While the court has upheld the country’s constitution and applied the law, the process is not yet concluded.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers can still appeal, and any prison term would only take effect once all appeals are exhausted. He currently remains under house arrest for violating a previous order by Mr de Moraes to refrain from using social media.
The decision has also reignited debate about the balance of power in Brazil, with critics arguing that the Supreme Court -and Mr de Moraes in particular – exercise excessive and unchecked authority.
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro’s party is pushing a motion in congress to cancel the ruling.
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