Brazil Supreme Court orders former president Jair Bolsonaro 27-year jail term

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to serve 27-year prison sentence.

The ruling follows his conviction for attempting to cling to power after losing the 2022 election, media reported.

The court rejected an appeal from Bolsonaro’s lawyers challenging the sentence and ordered him to serve his time at a federal police facility in Brasília, where he is already in custody.

Bolsonaro was arrested on Saturday after police said he tampered with the ankle monitor during his house arrest.

He told authorities his medications caused “hallucinations” and “paranoia,” and he feared the monitor could be used to snoop on him.

His lawyers had asked the court to allow him to serve the sentence at home because of health issues from a 2018 stabbing attack.

The Supreme Court denied that request after the ankle monitor incident. Bolsonaro’s team plans to submit medical evidence again once he begins serving the sentence.

Supreme Court convicted Bolsonaro and 7 allies of plotting to overturn the 2022 elections and assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva before he took office.

Prosecutors said Bolsonaro and his inner circle spent months undermined public trust in Brazil’s election system. They tried to retain power.

The plans included dissolving the Supreme Court, annulling election results, and giving the military broad authority.

Bolsonaro had been under house arrest since August. Police monitored him closely because the court considered him a flight risk.

US President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, commented on the arrest on Saturday. “That’s too bad,” he said. Asked for more, Trump added, “No. I just think it’s too bad.”

US sought to target Brazil over the court case by imposing tariffs of up to 50% on certain Brazilian imports while demanding the dropping of charges against Bolsonaro.

Trump administration eased the pressure, granted additional tariff exemptions and reviving dialogue with the Brazilian government.