Brazil’s Top Court Moves to Convict Bolsonaro Over Coup Attempt
At 70 years old, Bolsonaro now faces the gravest legal threat of his career — one that could bar him from politics.
Quick overview
- Brazil's Supreme Court convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro for involvement in an armed criminal organization.
- Justice Cármen Lúcia cast the decisive vote, aligning with Justices Alexandre de Moraes and Flávio Dino, while Justice Luiz Fux dissented.
- Bolsonaro faces additional charges related to an attempted coup and could face prison time if convicted.
- The final decision will depend on Justice Cristiano Zanin's vote, which could either allow Bolsonaro to appeal or solidify the majority's ruling.
A five-member panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court reached a majority on Thursday to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro for participating in an armed criminal organization.
Justice Cármen Lúcia cast the decisive vote, siding with Justices Alexandre de Moraes and Flávio Dino in the trial over an alleged coup plot. Justice Luiz Fux has so far been the sole dissenter, voting to acquit the former leader.
Lúcia is still due to rule on other charges against Bolsonaro, including attempting to stage a coup and violently dismantle Brazil’s democratic system. With three of five justices now in favor, Bolsonaro is on the brink of conviction in the case tied to the 2022 insurrection, a ruling that could ultimately expose him to prison time.
The far-right leader, who lost the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is accused of leading an armed network of allies, including senior officials from his government, the military, and intelligence services, in a bid to cling to power.
What is Next
The final outcome will hinge on the vote of Justice Cristiano Zanin. Should he side with Bolsonaro, the former president will be allowed to appeal to the full Supreme Court. But if Zanin joins the majority and the tally ends 4-1, Bolsonaro will lose the right to appeal.
“January 8 was not a trivial event,” Lúcia said, referring to the day Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília. In her ruling, she rejected the defense’s procedural objections, upheld a plea deal by former aide Mauro Cid, and concluded that prosecutors had presented conclusive evidence of crimes committed against Brazil’s democratic institutions.
Bolsonaro Might Be Jailed
Alongside Bolsonaro, the panel has also formed a majority to convict seven other defendants seen as part of the inner circle of the alleged coup plot, including former Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira and former Justice Minister Anderson Torres.
At 70 years old, Bolsonaro now faces the gravest legal threat of his career — one that could bar him from politics and potentially land him behind bars.
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