Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Bolsonaro Coup Trial Moves to Defense Phase at Brazil’s Supreme Court

With prosecutors having completed their closing arguments on five charges, the court now awaits defense statements before a verdict due in September.

Overview

  • Attorney General Paulo Gonet has asked the Supreme Court to convict former president Jair Bolsonaro and seven collaborators on charges including coup d’état and armed criminal organization.
  • The prosecution’s case rests on extensive evidence—manuscripts, digital files, message exchanges and spreadsheets—that prosecutors say reveal a conspiracy to undermine Brazil’s democratic institutions.
  • Defendants face potential sentences of 12 to 40 years as the trial transitions from closing arguments into the defense phase.
  • A verdict is scheduled for September or October, marking a critical test for Brazil’s judiciary and the resilience of its democracy.
  • President Donald Trump has denounced the proceedings as a “witch hunt” and threatened 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports in support of Bolsonaro.