BRASÍLIA, Sept 11, 2025 — Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn the 2022 presidential election and allegedly plotting to assassinate his political rival, current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The federal court ruled that Bolsonaro undermined democracy and conspired to stay in power through violence and illegal means. This marks one of the most consequential political trials in Brazil’s history.
The verdict sparked nationwide demonstrations. Bolsonaro’s supporters denounced the ruling as politically motivated, while Lula’s government hailed it as a “victory for democracy.”
Background
Bolsonaro, a right-wing leader, lost the 2022 presidential election to Lula da Silva, who returned to power after previously serving as president from 2003 to 2010. Following the election, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília, in events often compared to the January 6 Capitol riot in the United States.
This trial is seen as Brazil’s strongest step yet in confronting threats to democratic institutions.
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