Brazil's top court has handed down a hefty prison sentence to former President Jair Bolsonaro for his supposed part in a botched coup.
Breitbart reported that the ruling from the Supreme Federal Tribunal marks a historic first, convicting a former Brazilian head of state on charges tied to undermining democracy, stemming from efforts to reverse the 2022 election outcome that led to riots on January 8, 2023.
Bolsonaro, who served as president until narrowly losing to leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in that contentious 2022 race, now faces 27 years and three months behind bars.
The tribunal designated Bolsonaro and six associates as the central figures in the alleged plot, finding them guilty of attempting to violently dismantle democratic governance, staging a coup, forming an armed criminal group, causing aggravated damage, and harming protected heritage sites.
A panel of five justices—led by rapporteur Alexandre de Moraes, along with Flávio Dino, Luiz Fux, Cármen Lúcia, and court President Cristiano Zanin—delivered the verdict after intense deliberations.
The session stretched 15 hours on Wednesday, with Fux voting last to acquit Bolsonaro, standing alone against the majority needed for conviction.
De Moraes and Dino pushed for guilt earlier in the week, while Lúcia and Zanin sealed the decision on Thursday, arguing that a toxic anti-democratic atmosphere had been brewing since 2021.
They claimed this environment aimed to shatter the nation's democratic traditions by riling up citizens, culminating in the destructive riots that targeted key institutions.
Prosecutors painted a picture of a coordinated criminal network under Bolsonaro's direction, methodically assaulting the system to block power transitions and weaken judicial authority, including through online campaigns questioning voting integrity.
This coup case sits atop a pile of legal battles Bolsonaro has faced since leaving office in January 2023, many initiated by de Moraes, known for his aggressive stance against what he calls misinformation and targeting right-leaning voices.
Beyond prison time, the sentence tacks on an eight-year ban from public roles under Brazil's Clean Slate rules, likely closing the door on any political comeback for the 70-year-old leader.
His team can appeal within the tribunal before incarceration begins, but Bolsonaro himself remains silenced under strict house arrest terms from late August, barring him from social media or phone use.
Undeterred, his lawyers vowed to escalate the fight to bodies like the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, citing breaches of basic rights and fair trial standards—though CNN Brasil notes such moves won't halt the conviction but might spotlight Brazil internationally.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio blasted the outcome online, calling it continued persecution by de Moraes, a figure hit with U.S. sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act for human rights concerns, and warning of American pushback against this apparent vendetta.
“The political persecutions by sanctioned human rights abuser Alexandre de Moraes continue, as he and others on Brazil’s supreme court have unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro,” Rubio wrote.
“The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt.” While Rubio's sharp words defend conservative principles, they underscore how progressive agendas can sometimes wield justice as a tool, though evidence in the case demands scrutiny from all sides.
