Brazil’s Supreme Court jails former President Bolsonaro for 27 years over coup plot: Video
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison after convicting him of orchestrating a coup attempt to remain in power following his 2022 election loss to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The historic ruling, delivered on Thursday, September 11, marks the first time a former Brazilian head of state has been convicted of plotting to overthrow democracy. Prosecutors argued that Bolsonaro and his allies devised a scheme to annul election results, dissolve the courts, hand sweeping authority to the military, and even assassinate president-elect Lula.
In the majority decision, Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the evidence showed Bolsonaro presided over a “criminal organisation” throughout his presidency. “What was seen during the four years of the mandate was the implementation of a criminal organisation, led by the defendant Jair Messias Bolsonaro, to put into practice the plan of institutional rupture through a coup d’état and the end of the Democratic State of Law,” Moraes declared.
The final sentence, which combines multiple convictions, was set at 27 years and three months in prison under Article 69 of Brazil’s Penal Code. “Considering all the sentences established above and the existence, as recognised by the majority of the panel, of the material concurrence of crimes … the final sentence for the defendant Jair Messias Bolsonaro was set at 27 years and three months,” Moraes confirmed.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
