- Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court sentenced Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years for attempting a military coup, spreading election fraud claims and plotting against democracy.
- Prosecutors proved Bolsonaro sought military backing to overturn his 2022 loss and knew of assassination plots against Lula and justices.
- Trump condemned the ruling and imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazil, while Marco Rubio called it “unjust,” sparking sovereignty disputes.
- Similar legal battles target populists like France’s Marine Le Pen for “hate speech,” showing institutional pushback against dissent.
- Bolsonaro’s allies call it a “witch hunt,” while his legal team appeals. Seven co-conspirators were convicted, warning Brazil’s far-right.
In a landmark ruling that has sent shockwaves through Brazil and drawn sharp condemnation from the U.S., former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for plotting a military coup to overturn his 2022 election loss.
The conviction was handed down by a panel of five justices of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) on Thursday, Sept. 11. It marks the first time a former Brazilian leader has been punished for attacking democracy. The verdict also served as a dramatic fall for the far-right populist who once commanded massive rallies and forged close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The court found Bolsonaro guilty on five charges – including leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, and orchestrating a coup. Prosecutors presented evidence that he had sought military backing to nullify the election results and spread disinformation about Brazil’s electronic voting system. They even alleged that the 70-year-old former leader even knew of assassination plots against his successor, incumbent Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and STF justices.
Though Bolsonaro denied wrongdoing, the majority ruling – with only one dissenting vote – deemed his actions a direct threat to Brazil’s fragile democratic institutions, still healing from a military dictatorship that ran from 1964 to 1985. The verdict has intensified Brazil’s political divisions, with Bolsonaro’s supporters decrying it as a “witch hunt” and his legal team vowing appeals.
Bolsonaro conviction sparks backlash from Washington
The sentence also triggered immediate backlash from Trump, who called the conviction “very bad for Brazil.” The real estate mogul hinted at further economic retaliation, having already imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods in response to the case. (Related: Trump slams Brazil over social media censorship, slaps 50% tariff on imports.)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio escalated tensions by declaring the ruling “unjust” and warning of consequences. In response, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Rubio’s remarks as a “threat” against its sovereignty.
The case underscores a broader global pattern of legal battles against far-right leaders, such as France’s Marine Le Pen as institutions grapple with populist challenges to democratic norms. According to Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch engine, “Le Pen was convicted for criticizing Muslim immigration and warning of Islamic influence in France, which authorities deemed ‘hate speech’ under politically motivated charges designed to suppress dissent and opposition to mass migration.”
For Brazil, the trial carries historic weight. Not only was Bolsonaro convicted, but seven of his allies – including high-ranking military officers – were also sentenced, marking the first time coup plotters have faced punishment since Brazil’s transition to democracy.
Bolsonaro, now barred from public office until 2060, remains a potent political force, with allies in Congress pushing for amnesty. Yet the ruling sends a stark message to Brazil’s military and far-right factions: Attempts to subvert democracy will no longer go unpunished.
As STF Justice Carmen Lucia warned, “There is no immunity to authoritarianism.” For a nation still reckoning with its authoritarian past, the trial may prove a turning point – or a spark for further turmoil.
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Watch Brazilian journalist Paulo Figueiredo sharing to Breanna Morello how the Brazilian government is continuing to target the Bolsonaro family.
This video is from the MyPodcastDropped2320 channel on Brighteon.com.
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CBC.ca
BBC.com
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