Brazil’s Supreme Court has found former president Jair Bolsonaro guilty of attempting a military coup to remain in power after his 2022 election defeat, in a case that also exposed a plot to assassinate his rival, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The ruling makes Bolsonaro the first former Brazilian president ever convicted of trying to undermine Latin America’s largest democracy. Advocates for accountability hailed the judgment as a historic turning point for a nation that has endured more than a dozen coup attempts but often favoured political conciliation over prosecution.
Justice Cármen Lúcia cast the third and decisive vote on Thursday to convict Bolsonaro of attempting a coup and four related charges. The full panel of 11 justices is expected to finalise sentencing in the coming days, with potential penalties ranging from a lengthy prison term to a lifetime ban from holding public office.
The case has roiled Brazil’s political landscape and strained its international relations, particularly with the United States. Former U.S. president Donald Trump, a close ally and personal friend of Bolsonaro, had reportedly imposed tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctioned Supreme Court justices in an attempt to pressure them into dropping the case.
Bolsonaro, who denies wrongdoing, is accused of conspiring with military officers and political allies to overturn the election results through coordinated disinformation campaigns, mobilisation of radical supporters, and a plot to physically eliminate Lula. The scheme collapsed after the January 8, 2023, riots in Brasília, when Bolsonaro supporters stormed Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace in scenes that drew global condemnation.
Legal analysts say the conviction underscores the resilience of Brazil’s democratic institutions in the face of authoritarian threats. Human rights advocates argue it sets a precedent that no leader, regardless of status, is above the Constitution.
Boluwatife Enome
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