Bolsonaro Sentenced: Brazil’s Ex-Leader Faces 27 Years for Coup Plot

Brasília, September 12, 2025 — Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro was handed a prison sentence of more than 27 years on Thursday after being convicted of orchestrating a failed plot to overturn the results of the 2022 election and cling to power.

The historic ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court marks one of the most significant moments in the country’s democratic history, holding a former head of state criminally accountable for an attempted coup.

Prosecutors argued that Bolsonaro encouraged loyal military officers, police, and supporters to undermine the democratic process and block the peaceful transfer of power to his successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Evidence presented in court included intercepted communications, private meetings, and public speeches in which Bolsonaro cast doubt on Brazil’s voting system.

“This verdict affirms that no one is above the Constitution,” said Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the case. “Brazil’s democracy will not be intimidated by authoritarian ambitions.”

Bolsonaro, who remains a deeply polarizing figure in Brazilian politics, has denied the charges and claimed the proceedings are politically motivated. His defense team vowed to appeal.

The conviction comes as Brazil continues to grapple with political division. Supporters of the former president denounced the ruling as an “attack on freedom,” while opposition leaders hailed it as a “victory for democracy.”

Bolsonaro’s sentence—27 years and 6 months—underscores the gravity of the offense. Analysts say the ruling could reshape Brazil’s political landscape for years to come, especially with far-right movements losing their most prominent figure.

International observers praised Brazil’s judiciary for upholding democratic accountability. “It sends a powerful signal to the world that democratic institutions can and must resist authoritarian threats,” said Maria Gutierrez, a political scientist at the University of São Paulo.

As Bolsonaro prepares for prison, Brazil enters a new chapter—one defined not by his combative rule, but by the resilience of its democratic system in the face of extraordinary tests.