Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after being found guilty of orchestrating a plot to seize power through a military coup.
The ruling, delivered by a five-justice panel of the Supreme Court, comes just hours after Bolsonaro was convicted for trying to remain in power following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Four of the five justices voted to convict Bolsonaro, while one dissented. His legal team described the sentence as “absurdly excessive” and said they would file “the appropriate appeals.”
In addition to the prison term, the court barred him from holding public office until 2033.
Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest after being deemed a flight risk, did not appear in court for the final phase of his trial. He has repeatedly called the proceedings a “witch hunt” aimed at stopping his 2026 presidential bid, despite already being barred from office on other charges.
The verdict drew sharp international reactions. Former US President Donald Trump described it as “very surprising” and compared it to actions taken against him, adding, “That's very much like they tried to do with me. But they didn't get away with it at all.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the ruling, saying Brazil’s Supreme Court had “unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro” and warning of potential responses.
Brazil’s foreign ministry countered swiftly, posting on X that Rubio’s statement “attacks a Brazilian authority and ignores the facts and the compelling evidence on record” and would not intimidate the country’s democracy.
Bolsonaro, now 70, faces the possibility of spending the remainder of his life behind bars. His lawyers plan to request that he remain under house arrest and push for a reduced sentence.
Appeals may be difficult, however, as legal experts note that a conviction can only typically be challenged if at least two justices voted to acquit.
The former leader was convicted on five counts related to attempts to cling to power after his electoral loss. Prosecutors presented evidence that he had plotted to remain in power well before the 2022 election, sought military support for a coup, and spread false doubts about Brazil’s electoral system.
He was also aware of plans to assassinate Lula, his vice-presidential running mate, and a Supreme Court justice.
Seven of Bolsonaro’s co-conspirators were also convicted, including former defence ministers, a former spy chief, and a former security minister. Although the plot failed to gain enough military backing, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed government buildings on January 8, 2023, resulting in over 1,500 arrests before order was restored.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the trial, said Brazil narrowly avoided a return to authoritarian rule. “We are slowly forgetting that Brazil almost returned to its 20-year dictatorship because a criminal organisation, comprised of a political group, doesn't know how to lose elections,” he stated.
Justice Cármen Lúcia, whose decisive vote secured the conviction, compared the coup attempt to a “virus” capable of destroying society if left unchecked. She warned that “there was no immunity to authoritarianism.”
The lone dissenting voice, Luiz Fux, argued in an 11-hour speech that the accusations against Bolsonaro were unsubstantiated, voting for his acquittal.
