Ex-Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after the Supreme Court of Brazil convicted him for plotting a coup to stay in office after losing his 2022 election.
The verdict was rendered on Thursday, September 11, 2025, by a bench of five justices. The 70-year-old Bolsonaro was found guilty on five charges. Four of the five members of the bench voted against him, putting together the two-thirds majority needed for the ruling.
Bolsonaro is still in house arrest in Brasilia and can appeal the verdict. His conviction will not be final until the fifth member of the justice renders his verdict. He faces more than 40 years in prison if convicted on all the charges. One of the charges is for being part of a criminal organization to conspire against the presidency of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who beat Bolsonaro during the October 2022 elections.
Justice Carmen Lucia was the third decisive vote to convict, ruling that Bolsonaro had conspired to subvert the election. She has already voted to convict on the charge of organizing a criminal organization but has yet to cast a vote on the other four counts.
Bolsonaro, a retired army captain and firebrand right-winger, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and labeled the trial a political persecution.
The case has caught the world’s attention. Hours following the verdict, U.S. President Donald Trump, a strong supporter of Bolsonaro, sounded disappointed. Addressing journalists outside the White House, Trump stated he was “very unhappy” with the conviction and referred to Bolsonaro as “outstanding.” He also went further to fuel tensions by referring to the trial as a “witch hunt” and imposed 50% tariffs on various Brazilian imports as retaliatory measures.
The ruling occurs almost three years since Bolsonaro’s loss to Lula, an election outcome he and his allies continually attempted to delegitimize. The ruling is one of the most significant legal decisions in Brazil’s democratic history, emphasizing the judiciary’s position against attempts to invalidate election outcomes.
For the time being, Bolsonaro’s fate is up to the appeal process and the awaiting vote of the fifth justice. Nevertheless, the majority verdict of the court has already sealed his fate as one of Brazil’s most controversial political leaders who will endure a historic prison sentence.
Leo Cruz brings sharp insights into the world of politics, offering balanced reporting and analysis on the latest policies, elections, and global political events. With years of experience covering campaigns and interviewing world leaders, Leo ensures readers are always informed and engaged.
