São Paulo, Brazil – In a unanimous decision, the five-member First Panel of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court ruled on Wednesday that former President Jair Bolsonaro will stand trial, officially making him a criminal defendant in a case tied to an alleged coup plot.
The far-right leader and seven of his allies face charges including attempting to overthrow the government, violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, and destruction of public property. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison. The court has yet to set a trial date.
Beyond Bolsonaro and his seven co-defendants, the Supreme Court is still evaluating whether to indict 26 additional individuals.
Prosecutors have described the group of 34 as a criminal organization that sought to keep Bolsonaro in power despite his defeat in the October 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Federal Police investigations indicate that senior military officials were involved in efforts to prevent Lula from taking office.
Authorities also point to the January 8, 2023 riots in the capital Brasília—when Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings—as the final act of a broader conspiracy to undermine Brazil’s democratic order.
So far, more than 500 people have been convicted by the Supreme Court for taking part in the destruction of the Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Court itself.
Hours after being formally indicted, Bolsonaro addressed the press in a 50-minute speech but refused to take questions. He denied orchestrating a coup attempt and claimed he was the target of political persecution.
“The international community is closely watching what is happening in Brazil. Legal experts, diplomats, and political leaders recognize the pattern: it follows the same script seen in Nicaragua and Venezuela,” Bolsonaro said.
According to the indictment brought by the federal prosecutor’s office, Bolsonaro convened a meeting on December 7, 2022, at the Palácio da Alvorada, the official presidential residence, with the commanders of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
During this gathering, he allegedly presented a draft decree that would have annulled the election results under the pretext of fraud in the country’s electronic voting system—a move prosecutors argue would have constituted a democratic rupture.
Featured Image: Former President Jair Bolsonaro speaks to the press after being declared a defendant. (Photo credit: Lula Marques/Agência Brasil via Agencia Brasil)
