BRASÍLIA: Brazil’s Supreme Court begins voting on Tuesday to determine whether far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro will be convicted or acquitted in a landmark coup trial.
The 70-year-old former leader faces a potential prison sentence exceeding 40 years if found guilty of attempting to retain power following his 2022 electoral defeat to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro stands trial alongside seven co-defendants including former ministers and generals before a panel of five judges led by Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
Justice de Moraes faces financial sanctions from Washington which accuses Brasília of political persecution in this case after repeated clashes with Bolsonaro and other right-wing figures involving disinformation allegations.
Former US president Donald Trump denounced the proceedings as a witch hunt against his political ally and imposed 50% tariffs on many Brazilian imports as punitive measures.
De Moraes responded by vowing that the court would remain absolutely inflexible in defending national sovereignty against internal or external threats and coercion.
This trial marks the first time a former Brazilian head of state faces coup charges in the country’s judicial history.
Many Brazilians view the proceedings as a critical test for democracy four decades after military dictatorship while others consider it a politically motivated show trial.
Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters demonstrated across several cities on Sunday condemning the trial as a disgrace and expressing gratitude for Trump’s intervention.
Prosecutors accuse Bolsonaro of leading a criminal organization that conspired to overthrow President Lula during his 2019-2022 presidential term.
The prosecution claims Bolsonaro plotted to declare a state of emergency and call new elections but failed to secure support from military leadership.
Bolsonaro also faces allegations of knowledge regarding assassination plots targeting Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice de Moraes.
The five judges will deliver their verdicts sequentially from Tuesday through Friday requiring a simple majority of three votes for conviction though Bolsonaro retains appeal rights.
A guilty verdict would not only bring a lengthy prison sentence but could also destroy Bolsonaro’s political ambitions for a presidential comeback similar to Trump’s trajectory.
Bolsonaro allies are pushing Congress to pass amnesty legislation fearing his imminent conviction and potential imprisonment.
Sao Paulo governor Tarcisio de Freitas confirmed sufficient congressional support exists for amnesty passage while being considered as Bolsonaro’s potential successor in 2026 elections.
Bolsonaro will monitor the trial deliberations from his Brasília residence where he remains under house arrest since last month according to aides.
His lawyers report declining health conditions resulting from a 2018 campaign rally stabbing that injured his abdomen.
Supreme Court security measures have been significantly enhanced throughout the trial proceedings. – AFP
