Brazil’s Former Leader Bolsonaro Receives Over 27-Year Prison Sentence For Coup Attempt

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison after finding him guilty of attempting to overthrow democratic rule.

The decision came after four of the five justices presiding over the case voted in favour of a conviction.

Bolsonaro, 70, was convicted on five charges, including plotting a coup d’état, attempting to abolish democratic rule of law through violence, participating in an armed criminal organisation, aggravated damage, and harming listed heritage sites.

The trial, opened on September 2, required a majority vote from the five-justice panel.

Justices Alexandre de Moraes and Flavio Dino cast guilty votes on Tuesday, followed by Justice Luiz Fux’s dissent on Wednesday. On Thursday, Justices Carmen Lucia and Cristiano Zanin added their support for the conviction, sealing Bolsonaro’s fate.

Reaction and Next Steps

Currently under house arrest, Bolsonaro retains the right to appeal to the full bench of 11 Supreme Federal Court justices. He skipped the closing stage of his trial but previously claimed that the case aimed to block his participation in the 2026 presidential election.

Separate electoral offences have already barred Bolsonaro from holding public office, and he repeatedly calls the proceedings a ‘witch hunt’.

US President Donald Trump, who has previously voiced support for Bolsonaro, called the verdict ‘very surprising’ and likened it to his own legal experiences. Trump had earlier imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Brazilian imports, framing them as retaliation for Bolsonaro’s prosecution.

The conviction marks one of the most significant judicial decisions in Brazil’s recent history, underscoring the country’s commitment to protecting democratic institutions from attempted subversion.

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