Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced on Thursday to 27 years and three months in prison after being found guilty of conspiring to remain in power after losing the 2022 election, writes Reuters.
Four out of five judges voted to convict the former president on five counts: participation in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent overthrow of democracy, organizing a coup, damaging state property and protected cultural assets. Bolsonaro became the first former president in the country's history to be convicted of attacking democracy, and the third among convicted far-right leaders, after Marine Le Pen in France and Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on social network X that the court «made an unjust decision», adding that «the US will respond appropriately to this witch hunt». Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the charges against Bolsonaro, imposed increased tariffs on Brazilian goods, sanctions against the presiding judge, and revoked visas for most of the supreme court judges.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling Rubio's comment a threat, «attacking Brazilian authorities and ignoring the facts and compelling evidence contained in the documents».
Bolsonaro served as the country's president from January 1, 2018, to January 1, 2023. At the end of 2022, he lost the election to Lula da Silva but did not agree with the voting results. A week after the inauguration of the new head of state, Bolsonaro's supporters caused riots, during which they stormed the buildings of parliament and the Supreme Court, as well as the presidential palace. Hundreds of people were detained. In December of the same year, there was an assassination attempt on da Silva. The indictment stated that Bolsonaro was aware of the planned assassination.
Photo: AP