❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former Brazilian President and Donald J. Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of supposedly plotting a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s Supreme Court, and prosecutors.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The conviction was handed down on September 11, 2025, in Brazil’s Supreme Court.
💬KEY QUOTE: “When coherence and a sense of justice prevail over vengeance and lies, there is no room for cruel persecution or biased judgments,” said Bolsonaro’s wife Michelle.
🎯IMPACT: Bolsonaro, 70, faces a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been convicted by a majority of Brazil’s controversial Supreme Court for attempting to orchestrate a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 presidential election. The decision marks the first time in the country’s history that a former president has been found guilty of crimes against democracy.
Bolsonaro, a populist ally of President Donald J. Trump who served from 2019 to 2023, was convicted on five criminal counts, including plotting to overthrow democratic institutions, being part of an armed criminal group, and encouraging political violence. He was also accused of posing a threat to national heritage and state assets. Three justices voted to convict, while one, Luiz Fux, voted for acquittal. The dissent opens the door for potential appeals or legal challenges. Bolsonaro, 70, now faces a maximum prison sentence of 40 years.
“This criminal case is almost a meeting between Brazil and its past, its present, and its future,” Justice Carmen Lucia said in her remarks before voting to convict. She added that Bolsonaro had acted “with the purpose of eroding democracy and institutions.”
Prosecutors alleged that Bolsonaro and his allies planned to reject the results of the 2022 election, in which he officially lost to far-left Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and were preparing to use military force to stay in power. The investigation has also supposedly uncovered plots to target Supreme Court justices and attempts to incite violent unrest in the capital. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing.
Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle, responded to the court in a statement posted on social media, saying, “When coherence and a sense of justice prevail over vengeance and lies, there is no room for cruel persecution or biased judgments.”
The ruling is the latest in a series of legal setbacks for the populist leader. In 2023, Bolsonaro was barred from holding public office until 2030 after the country’s electoral court ruled that he had abused his power and cast unfounded doubts on Brazil’s machine-based voting system. The court found that his public statements questioning the integrity of electronic voting machines and attempting to return to paper ballots had undermined the democratic process.
In July 2025, Bolsonaro was detained amid concerns he might try to flee to the United States to seek political asylum. President Donald J. Trump has been lobbying on his behalf, threatening heavy sanctions and tariffs on Brazil for what he sees as a politically motivated witch-hunt.
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