Jair Bolsonaro's 27-Year Sentence Upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court

Post by : Raina Nasser

Brazil’s Supreme Court has definitively ruled against former president Jair Bolsonaro, declaring that he has exhausted all avenues for appeal regarding his coup-related conviction. This ruling solidifies his 27-year prison sentence, signaling the conclusion of a dramatic period in Brazilian politics.

Convicted in September for orchestrating an attempt to prevent President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from assuming office following the 2022 election, Bolsonaro’s case also involved allegations of an assassination plot aimed at undermining his rival’s ascent to power.

Earlier this month, Bolsonaro’s lawyers submitted a plea to the Supreme Court to have the sentence reconsidered; however, this request has been denied. With the judgment confirmed, he is required to begin serving his full prison term.

Previously under house arrest, Bolsonaro was apprehended at police headquarters in Brasilia last Saturday. Authorities reported that he attempted to alter his court-ordered ankle monitor with a soldering iron, raising alarms about a potential escape.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes pointed out that there were “serious indications” of an escape plan, particularly considering the location of Bolsonaro’s residence near the US Embassy and his previously established connections with Donald Trump, hinting at the possibility of seeking asylum.

Bolsonaro refuted claims of planning an escape. In court, he expressed feelings of paranoia due to his medication and contended that he had not damaged the ankle monitor's strap. He later mentioned in a video released by the court that his use of the soldering iron was merely out of curiosity.

His legal team had recently sought permission for him to serve his sentence at home due to health issues, but the court declined this request.

With this decisive ruling, Brazil is set to imprison a former president for one of the most significant political offenses in its modern history.