Jair Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Coup Plot in Brazil

Jair Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Coup Attempt in Brazil.

Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison after the country’s Supreme Court found him guilty of orchestrating a failed coup. A panel of five judges delivered the ruling, with four voting to convict and one dissenting. The court concluded that Bolsonaro had led a conspiracy to hold onto power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The verdict marks a historic moment in Brazil, with prosecutors arguing that the former leader deliberately tried to undermine democracy by questioning the country’s electoral system and seeking military backing for a takeover.

Bolsonaro, who is now 70 years old, was not present for the final phase of the trial, as he has been under house arrest since being deemed a flight risk. His lawyers blasted the ruling as “absurdly excessive” and vowed to appeal, although legal experts warn that overturning the decision may prove difficult given the narrow path for such appeals. Beyond prison time, the justices also barred him from seeking office until at least 2033, effectively ending his political career.

The sentencing has sparked a wave of political drama both inside and outside Brazil. Former U.S. president Donald Trump came to Bolsonaro’s defense, calling the trial a “witch hunt” and comparing it to his own legal troubles. Current U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio went even further, accusing Brazil’s judiciary of unfairly targeting the ex-president and threatening retaliation. Brazil’s foreign ministry quickly pushed back, saying its democracy would not be intimidated by outside pressure.

The ruling also convicted several of Bolsonaro’s allies, including high-ranking military officials and former ministers, all of whom faced prison terms for their involvement. The court’s majority stressed that the attempted coup brought Brazil dangerously close to returning to authoritarian rule, drawing painful parallels with the country’s past military dictatorship. For many Brazilians, the verdict represents a firm stand in defense of democratic institutions—while for Bolsonaro’s supporters, it signals the political downfall of a man they once saw as their champion.

Source: BBC.COM