Supreme Court Convicts Ex-Leader for Violently Attempting to Undermine Democracy
BRASILIA: Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for plotting a military coup and attempting to destroy the country’s democracy.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that the case has reached its final judgment, meaning no further appeals are possible. Bolsonaro, who was elected president in 2018, is set to begin serving his sentence immediately in a federal police jail cell in the capital, Brasilia.
The Court found the former President guilty of seeking to forcibly cling to power after losing the 2022 general election. Bolsonaro’s crimes, as specified in the sentence, include coup d’etat and violently attempting to abolish Brazil’s democracy.
The ruling also extended guilt to key co-conspirators involved in the plot. The court convicted: Gen Augusto Heleno, the former minister for institutional security. Gen Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, the former defence minister.
This landmark decision concludes a major legal proceeding, affirming the rule of law in Brazil and setting a precedent against attempts to overturn democratic election results.
