Brazil’s prime court docket rejects Bolsonaro’s coup sentence enchantment, affirming his 27-year penalty for post-election energy seize.
Printed On 7 Nov 2025
A five-member panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court docket has fashioned a majority to reject former President Jair Bolsonaro’s enchantment difficult his 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup to stay in energy after the 2022 presidential election.
The 70-year-old far-right firebrand was discovered responsible by the identical court docket in September of trying to stop President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking energy. Prosecutors mentioned the plan failed solely due to an absence of assist from the navy’s prime brass.
Really helpful Tales
record of three objectsfinish of record
Justices Flavio Dino, Alexandre de Moraes and Cristiano Zanin voted to reject the enchantment filed by Bolsonaro’s authorized group. The remaining members of the panel have till November 14 to solid their votes within the Supreme Court docket’s system.
The previous president will start serving his sentence solely in any case appeals are exhausted.
Bolsonaro has been beneath home arrest since August for violating precautionary measures in a separate case. His attorneys are anticipated to request that he be allowed to serve his sentence beneath related circumstances as a consequence of well being considerations.
Bolsonaro’s attorneys argued there had been “profound injustices” and “contradictions” in his conviction, and sought to have his jail sentence decreased.
Three of the Supreme Court docket judges weighing the enchantment voted to reject it on Friday.
Nevertheless, the outcome is just not thought of official till the court-imposed deadline at midnight on November 14.
Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the trial, was the primary to solid his vote electronically and wrote that arguments by Bolsonaro’s attorneys to have his sentence decreased had been “with out advantage”.
Moraes, in a 141-page doc seen by AFP, rejected defence claims they’d been given an amazing quantity of paperwork and digital information, stopping them from correctly mounting their case.
He additionally rejected an argument that Bolsonaro had given up on the coup, saying it failed solely due to exterior components, not as a result of the previous president renounced it.
Moraes reaffirmed that there had been a deliberate coup try orchestrated beneath Bolsonaro’s management, with ample proof of his involvement.
He once more underscored Bolsonaro’s position in instigating the January 8 assault on Brazil’s democratic establishments, when supporters demanded a navy takeover to oust Lula.
‘Ruling justified’
Moraes dominated that the sentence of 27 years and three months was primarily based on Bolsonaro’s excessive culpability as president and the severity and affect of the crimes. Moraes mentioned Bolsonaro’s age had already been thought of as a mitigating issue.
“The ruling justified all phases of the sentencing course of,” Moraes wrote.
Two different judges voted in the identical means shortly afterwards.
Due to well being issues stemming from a stabbing assault in 2018, Bolsonaro may ask to serve his sentence beneath home arrest.
The trial in opposition to Bolsonaro angered his ally, US President Donald Trump, who imposed sanctions on Brazilian officers and punitive commerce tariffs.
Nevertheless, in current months, tensions have thawed between Washington and Brasilia, with a gathering going down between Trump and Lula and negotiations to cut back the tariffs.
An initiative from Bolsonaro supporters in Congress to push via an amnesty invoice that would profit him fizzled out after large protests across the nation.
Brazil’s massive conservative voters is presently and not using a champion heading into 2026 presidential elections, wherein Lula, 80, has mentioned he’ll search a fourth time period.
