Brazil’s Supreme Court to Rule on Bolsonaro’s Coup Trial

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-03-25 08:59:25 |

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Brazil’s Supreme Court is set to rule on whether former President Jair Bolsonaro and several of his close allies will stand trial over accusations of attempting to stage a coup following his defeat in the 2022 election. The panel of justices will meet in Brasilia on Tuesday to determine if the charges filed by Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet last month will be accepted, thereby making Bolsonaro and others formal defendants in a criminal case. The former president and his associates are accused of plotting to overthrow the government, engaging in an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democratic rule, causing damage through violence, and endangering the state’s assets.

Among the allegations, there are claims that Bolsonaro and his allies considered extreme measures such as poisoning President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and assassinating Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a key opponent of Bolsonaro. The case is being closely watched, as a conviction for staging a coup alone carries a sentence of up to 12 years, but additional charges could lead to a significantly longer prison term. Legal experts and observers widely believe that the court will accept the charges, given the weight of the evidence.

The charges were filed against a total of 34 individuals, but the Supreme Court will initially decide on the cases of eight of them, including Bolsonaro and former Defense Ministers Walter Braga Netto and Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, as well as ex-Justice Minister Anderson Torres. The remaining individuals will be judged in later proceedings. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and claims that he is being unfairly targeted for political reasons.

As legal proceedings advance, Bolsonaro has attempted to rally political support, holding a protest on March 16 at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. However, turnout was lower than expected, with around 18,000 attendees instead of the hoped-for one million. This has led analysts to speculate that his influence among voters may be waning. Despite this, Bolsonaro has called for another demonstration on April 6 on São Paulo’s Avenida Paulista, with a focus on urging Congress to grant amnesty to those jailed for their roles in the January 8, 2023 riots. These riots saw Bolsonaro supporters storm and vandalize Brazil’s Supreme Court, Presidential Palace, and Congress in an attempt to challenge Lula’s presidency.

Bolsonaro’s legal troubles have mounted since his departure from office. In addition to the current criminal case, he has already been banned from running in elections until 2030 by Brazil’s top electoral court due to allegations of abusing power and spreading unfounded claims about the country's electronic voting system. The Supreme Court’s decision in the coming days could mark a significant turning point in his political career and Brazil’s broader political landscape.

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