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Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been convicted of plotting a military coup, marking a significant development in the aftermath of the 2022 election.
In a split decision, four of the five Supreme Court justices presiding over the case found Bolsonaro guilty, while one dissented with a vote for acquittal.
The 70-year-old has been found to have led a conspiracy aimed at retaining power following his defeat in the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his left-wing opponent.
The court determined that while the alleged plot failed to garner sufficient military support for execution, it culminated in the January 8, 2023 storming of government buildings by Bolsonaro’s supporters.
The charges carry substantial penalties, potentially resulting in a prison sentence exceeding 40 years. The justices have commenced the sentencing phase.
Justice Cármen Lúcia, delivering the decisive vote, stated on Thursday that Bolsonaro incited the “insurgency” of January 8, 2023, during which thousands of his supporters vandalized the Supreme Court, the presidential palace, and Congress.
She found him guilty on all five counts: attempting to stage a coup, leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish the democratic rule of law, and two additional charges related to property damage during the Brasilia building storming on January 8, 2023.
Bolsonaro has consistently maintained his innocence, characterizing the trial as a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
His legal team is expected to file appeals.
Bolsonaro was absent from all sessions of the trial’s final phase.
His lawyers cited health concerns for his decision to monitor the proceedings from his residence in Brasília. He sustained a stab wound to the abdomen during the 2018 campaign and has experienced recurring health issues since.
He has been under house arrest since early August, following a police report alleging attempted interference in the trial by him and his son, Eduardo.
His legal representative was present in court but departed after Justice Lúcia declared his client guilty of the attempted coup and armed criminal conspiracy, even before completing her statement.
The charges against Bolsonaro extended beyond the events of January 8, 2023.
Prosecutors argued that he began plotting to remain in power long beforehand, proposing a coup to military commanders and disseminating unfounded doubts about the electoral system.
They further alleged that he was aware of a plan to assassinate Lula, his vice-presidential running mate, and a Supreme Court Justice.
Justice Lúcia likened the attempted coup to a “virus” that, if left unchecked, could be fatal to the society it infects.
She added: “I hope that this trial will prove a cure so that it doesn’t come back. Relapses aren’t good.”
Bolsonaro’s supporters have strongly criticized the proceedings, contending that they are designed to prevent him from running for president in the 2026 election.
While Bolsonaro is already barred from holding public office until 2030 for falsely claiming that Brazil’s voting system was vulnerable to fraud, he had stated his intention to challenge that ban in order to seek a second term in 2026.
Among his vocal supporters is former US President Donald Trump, who imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports, citing the court’s treatment of Bolsonaro as a catalyst for the increase.
He also sanctioned Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court justice overseeing the Bolsonaro trial.
Reacting to Bolsonaro’s conviction, Trump expressed his surprise.
“It’s very much what they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it at all. He was a good man, I don’t see that happening,” Trump told reporters, drawing parallels between Bolsonaro and himself.
Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo, who advocated for the imposition of sanctions on Brazilian imports, indicated to Reuters news agency that he anticipates further measures from the US in response to the verdict.
“We are going to have a firm response with actions from the US government against this dictatorship that is being installed in Brazil,” he said.
The ex-president is accused of trying to overturn his election loss but his supporters say it is a witch hunt.
Agricultural brokers tell the BBC there has been a surge of interest from exporters in trade with China.
The former Brazilian president denies conspiring to overturn his 2022 election loss to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The former president is accused of plotting a coup to remain in power after he lost the 2022 election.
Police say they found a letter on the former Brazilian president’s phone requesting asylum in Argentina.
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