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3w ago

Brazil Supreme Court Panel Sentences Bolsonaro to 27 Years for Attempted Coup

Appeals to the full court await publication of the ruling leaving the former leader under house arrest.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the entrance of his home where he is under house arrest in Brasilia, Brazil, Sept. 11, 2025 (AP photo/Luis Nova).
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro stands at his home while under house arrest, ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, as he awaits trial over an alleged plot to overturn the 2022 election, in Brasília, Brazil, August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro outside his residence in Brasilia on Thursday, September 11.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters before boarding his plane at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida, U.S., September 2, 2025. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS/ File Photo

Overview

  • Four of five justices voted to convict, with Justice Luiz Fux dissenting and backing acquittal on all charges.
  • The panel found Bolsonaro guilty on five counts including attempting a coup, participation in an armed criminal organization, violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, and damage to protected state property.
  • Several former senior officials were also sentenced, including Gen. Walter Braga Netto to 26 years, Adm. Almir Garnier Santos to 24 years, Gen. Augusto Heleno to 21 years, and Gen. Paulo Sérgio Nogueira to 19 years.
  • The sentence is not immediately enforceable as the court has up to 60 days to publish its ruling, after which Bolsonaro’s lawyers can file motions and appeal to the full 11-justice Supreme Court.
  • U.S. reactions were sharply critical, with President Donald Trump calling the verdict very bad for Brazil and Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling the case a witch hunt after earlier U.S. tariffs and visa sanctions targeted Brazil over the proceedings.