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4w ago

Brazil's Supreme Court Nears Decision on Bolsonaro Coup Trial

Justices are expected to rule imminently on whether the former president will face charges for alleged coup plotting and other crimes following his 2022 election defeat.

A journalist, foreground, attends the trial of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, on the large screen behind, in an external area of the Supreme Court in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
FILE - Police stand on the other side of a window at Planalto Palace that was shattered by protesters, supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, after they stormed the official workplace of the president in Brasilia, Brazil, Jan. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro arrives at a rally on Copacabana Beach in support of a proposed bill to grant amnesty to those arrested for storming government buildings in an alleged coup attempt in 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
FILE - Lady Justice statue, depicting a seated, blindfolded woman holding a sword, stands outside the Supreme Court in Brasilia, Brazil, Sept. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

Overview

  • A five-justice panel of Brazil's Supreme Court is deliberating whether to proceed with criminal charges against Jair Bolsonaro and several associates for attempting to overturn the 2022 election results.
  • Bolsonaro is accused of leading a criminal organization that allegedly plotted a coup, including plans to poison President Lula and assassinate a Supreme Court justice.
  • If the charges are accepted, Bolsonaro could face a criminal trial with potential sentences totaling decades in prison for crimes such as violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.
  • Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet presented evidence of documented plans and communications supporting the allegations, while Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing and claims political persecution.
  • The court's decision, expected by Wednesday, could have significant implications for Bolsonaro's political future and Brazil's democratic institutions.