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Brazil's Supreme Court delivered a landmark conviction Thursday against former President Jair Bolsonaro, finding him guilty of plotting to overthrow the government following his 2022 electoral defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The court's 4-1 decision concluded one of Brazil's most significant and polarizing trials in recent memory, with Justice Cristiano Zanin casting the decisive vote after four other justices had already secured the majority needed for conviction.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, faces the possibility of spending the remainder of his life behind bars. The former army captain was found guilty on all five charges and could receive a sentence exceeding 40 years. Seven co-defendants, including former ministers and military officials, were also convicted alongside him.
"An armed criminal organization was formed by the defendants, who must be convicted based on the factual circumstances I consider proven," Zanin said in delivering his verdict.
Justice Luiz Fux stood as the sole dissenting voice, dismissing the proceedings as "political" in his not-guilty verdict.
The charges against Bolsonaro extended beyond the central coup conspiracy allegation. Prosecutors accused him of having knowledge of an assassination plot targeting Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
The court also found him guilty of inciting the January 2023 assault on Brazil's government buildings, when hundreds of his supporters stormed the Supreme Court, presidential palace, and Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to prompt military intervention against Lula's newly inaugurated administration.
Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest, monitored the verdict from his residence rather than appearing in the Brasília courtroom. The decision captivated the nation, with Brazilians following the proceedings across television and social media platforms.
The trial's conclusion highlighted Brazil's deep political divisions. In a Brasília establishment, patrons erupted in celebration upon hearing the guilty verdict. "After so much waiting, this despicable individual is being sent to jail," said translator Virgilio Soares, 46.
However, the ruling also drew criticism from Bolsonaro's supporters. Civil engineer Germano Cavalcante, 60, characterized the trial as "unfair."
Bolsonaro maintains his innocence, claiming to be the target of political persecution. His position has received support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has denounced the proceedings as a "witch hunt." The Trump administration has responded with retaliatory measures, imposing 50 percent tariffs on various Brazilian imports and sanctioning Justice Moraes along with other Supreme Court justices.
The case has created an unprecedented strain in U.S.-Brazil relations, affecting ties between the longtime allies. As the verdict approached, Bolsonaro's congressional allies had been lobbying for passage of an amnesty law that could have shielded him from imprisonment.
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