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Brazil Supreme Court Sentences Former President Bolsonaro To 27 Years For Coup Attempt, Trump Criticises Decision
Arun Dhital
Sep 12, 2025, 10:43 AM | Updated 10:43 AM IST
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Brazil’s Supreme Court on Thursday (11 September) sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison after finding him guilty of attempting a coup to stay in power following his 2022 defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, The Hindu reported.
A four-judge majority of a five-member panel ruled that the far-right leader conspired to overturn the election, with Judge Carmen Lúcia casting the decisive third vote.
Bolsonaro, 70, remains under house arrest in Brasília and can appeal once the final justice delivers his opinion.
The charges include leading a “criminal organisation” aimed at overthrowing Lula’s government. If convicted on all counts, Bolsonaro could face more than 40 years behind bars.
The ruling sparked celebrations in Brasília, where crowds waved flags outside the court. Bolsonaro has rejected the verdict, calling himself a victim of “political persecution.”
Across the Atlantic, former US president Donald Trump criticised the decision, saying he was “very unhappy” with the conviction and describing Bolsonaro as “outstanding.”
Trump has also denounced the proceedings as a “witch hunt” and recently imposed 50 per cent tariffs on several Brazilian imports in response.
Bolsonaro, an ex-army captain, lost the October 2022 presidential race to Lula but refused to concede for weeks, while his supporters stormed government buildings in January 2023.
The Supreme Court said the sentence underscores the need to defend the democratic order. The verdict becomes final after the fifth justice issues his vote, though the majority already guarantees Bolsonaro’s conviction.
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