Brazil Supreme Court Nears Conviction of Bolsonaro in Coup Plot Trial

Brazil’s Supreme Court moved closer to convicting former President Jair Bolsonaro on charges of leading a criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2022 election. Two justices, Alexandre de Moraes and Flavio Dino, voted on Tuesday to convict the ex-leader of orchestrating an attempted coup to remain in power after losing to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The five-judge panel is now just one vote away from a majority ruling against Bolsonaro, who faces a potential 40-year prison sentence if convicted.

The charges stem from a federal police probe that uncovered a plot involving armed groups, alleged assassination plans against Lula and his running mate, and Bolsonaro’s role in inciting the January 2023 riots, when his supporters stormed Brazil’s Congress, presidential palace, and Supreme Court. Moraes, who oversaw the 2022 elections and was allegedly targeted in the plot, called Bolsonaro the “leader of the criminal organization” as he cast the first vote in the trial’s final phase.

Bolsonaro has denied all charges through his lawyers, but the trial has further deepened Brazil’s political divide. While he is already barred from seeking office until 2030, allies such as São Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas have called for Congress to grant him amnesty, fueling speculation about the future of Brazil’s right-wing movement. Supporters hope a future president could still pardon the former leader if convicted.

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