The majority of a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices on Thursday voted to convict former president Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in office despite his 2022 electoral defeat.
The far-right politician who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022 was found guilty on five counts by three members of a five-justice panel.
Prosecutors charged Bolsonaro with attempting to stage a coup, being part of an armed criminal organisation, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, as well as being implicated in violence and posing a serious threat to the state’s assets and listed heritage.
“This criminal case is almost a meeting between Brazil and its past, its present, and its future,” Justice Carmen Lucia said before she voted to convict Bolsonaro of attempting a coup, a reference to previous attempts to overthrow democracy in the country’s history.
She added that Bolsonaro acted “with the purpose of eroding democracy and institutions.”
The 70-year-old is currently under house arrest. His lawyers have said that they will appeal the verdict to the full Supreme Court of 11 justices. Bolsonaro, who has denied any wrongdoing, has not attended the court and has sent his lawyers.
He faced a close reelection campaign against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022 – an election that Lula went on to win – Bolsonaro’s comments took on an increasingly messianic quality, raising concerns about his willingness to accept the results.
“I have three alternatives for my future: being arrested, killed or victory,” he said, in remarks to a meeting of evangelical leaders in 2021. “No man on Earth will threaten me.”
The far-right politician had been previously banned from running for office until 2030 in a separate case.
He is expected to choose an heir who is likely to challenge the President next year.
The ruling may push Bolsonaro’s allied lawmakers to seek some amnesty for him through Congress.
A full debate on sentencing is expected for Friday, after that, the former leader could face increased pressure to pick a political heir to likely challenge Lula in the general elections next year. A conviction could also compel allied lawmakers to seek some amnesty for the former president through Congress.
