If convicted, Bolsonaro could face a prison sentence of more than 40 years.
Brazil’s Supreme Court Orders Bolsonaro to Stand Trial for Attempted Coup
Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, ruled that former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro must stand trial on charges of plotting a coup to stay in power after his 2022 election defeat. This marks the first time a former Brazilian leader will be tried for attempting to overthrow a democratically elected government since the country transitioned from dictatorship to democracy in 1985.
If convicted, the 70-year-old ex-president could face a prison sentence of over 40 years. Bolsonaro, who governed from 2019 to 2022, is accused of heading a “criminal organization” that conspired to prevent the peaceful transfer of power following his narrow defeat to leftist leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Alleged Coup Plot & Assassination Plans
Investigators claim that after losing the election, Bolsonaro and his allies planned to issue a decree calling for fresh elections while using military force to stay in power. The probe also suggests that the alleged plot involved plans to assassinate President Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a key Bolsonaro critic who is also a judge in the case.
The Supreme Court’s five-judge panel voted unanimously to proceed with the trial, with Justice Moraes leading the deliberation. Moraes has previously referred to Bolsonaro as a “dictator”, citing his repeated attacks on Brazil’s democratic institutions.
Bolsonaro Faces Historic Trial
Bolsonaro is now the second former Brazilian president in less than a decade to face criminal charges. In July 2017, former President Lula was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to prison, though his conviction was later overturned.
The trial against Bolsonaro is expected to be a landmark case in Brazil’s political history, with major implications for the country’s democracy and rule of law.
