Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after being found guilty of plotting a military coup.
The ruling came from a panel of five Supreme Court justices, just hours after they had convicted him of leading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
While four justices found him guilty, one dissented, arguing that the accusations were unfounded. Bolsonaro's legal team has labeled the sentence as 'absurdly excessive' and plans to appeal.
In addition to his prison sentence, the panel barred him from holding public office until 2060, eight years after completing his sentence.
Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest, did not attend the trial in person. He has previously claimed that the proceedings were a deliberate attempt to hinder his potential candidacy in the 2026 presidential election and referred to it as a 'witch hunt.'
The former president's defense team is set to argue for house arrest instead of imprisonment while also seeking a reduced sentence.
Prosecutors asserted that Bolsonaro began plotting to retain power long before the election, proposing a coup to military leaders and spreading false allegations about the electoral system. He was also found to have knowledge of plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate.
The coup attempt, which was not supported by enough military leaders, culminated in a violent breach of government buildings by his supporters on January 8, 2023. Following the storming, more than 1,500 people were arrested.
The Supreme Court highlighted the threat Bolsonaro posed to Brazil's democratic order. Justice Cármen Lúcia noted the potential for authoritarianism to return, likening the attempted coup to a 'virus.' Justice Alexandre de Moraes described the danger of a political group failing to accept election results.
The ruling has led to widespread reactions, with U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump, expressing surprise over the verdict, framing it in the context of their own political challenges.
As Bolsonaro's lawyers prepare for the appeals process, the ramifications of this trial will likely resonate throughout Brazil's political landscape for years to come.
