Former President Jair Bolsonaro has been convicted of plotting a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 election. Brazil’s supreme court found him guilty of trying to overturn the vote.
It’s a verdict that makes Bolsonaro the first ex-president in the country’s history convicted of attacking democracy. He has been under house arrest while waiting for the ruling.
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The ruling
A panel of five justices determined the ruling. They said the evidence showed Bolsonaro acted to erode institutions, even approving plans to assassinate political rivals.
Four of the five judges voted to convict the former president. The court convicted him of five crimes: taking part in an armed criminal organization; attempting to violently abolish democracy; organizing a coup; and damaging government property and protected cultural assets.
The fifth justice, Justice Luiz Fux, voted to acquit the former president on all charges. He even questioned the court’s jurisdiction.
The court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison.
Response to the ruling
Outside the court, supporters of the ruling celebrated. A trumpeter played as word spread of the guilty verdict.
Reporters asked President Trump what he thought of the verdict shortly after it came out. Trump had originally called the investigation a “witch hunt” and imposed a 50% tariff on Brazil after they refused to end the trial against Bolsonaro.
“I thought he was a good president of Brazil, and it’s very surprising that that could happen. It’s very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it at all,” Trump said. “I can only say this, I knew him as President of Brazil. He was a good man, and I don’t see that happening.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the court had “unjustly ruled.” He said, “The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt.”
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry saw Rubio’s statement and issued its own. It called Rubio’s comment a threat that “attacks Brazilian authority and ignores the facts and the compelling evidence in the records.”
Brazilian Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, told Reuters he expected Trump to consider imposing further sanctions on Brazil and its high court justices.
