Brazil’s Supreme Court Sentences Bolsonaro to 27 Years for Attempted Coup

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) on Thursday (11) handed down a landmark ruling, sentencing former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and several close allies for their roles in an attempted coup d’état. The case, known as Criminal Action 2668, examined the January 8 attacks on government institutions as well as related crimes, including an alleged plot to assassinate senior officials.

Bolsonaro, identified by the Court as the mastermind behind the conspiracy, received the heaviest sentence: 27 years and 3 months in prison, to be served in a closed regime. Seven of his allies were also convicted:

Walter Braga Netto (general and former Defense Minister) – 26 years;

Almir Garnier Santos (admiral and former Navy commander) – 24 years;

Anderson Torres (former Justice Minister) – 24 years;

Augusto Heleno (general and former head of the Institutional Security Office) – 21 years;

Paulo Sérgio Nogueira (retired general and former Defense Minister) – 19 years;

Alexandre Ramagem (federal deputy and former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency) – 16 years;

Mauro Cid (lieutenant colonel and Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp) – 2 years in an open regime, following a plea agreement.

Beyond the prison terms, all defendants are barred from holding public office for eight years after serving their sentences, under Brazil’s Clean Record Law, and were ordered to pay financial penalties.

Judicial divisions

Bolsonaro’s conviction was secured by Justice Cármen Lúcia, whose vote aligned with that of rapporteur Alexandre de Moraes and Justice Flávio Dino. Justice Cristiano Zanin also voted for conviction, forming a majority of 4–1.

Justice Luiz Fux dissented, endorsing arguments advanced by Bolsonaro’s defense. He acquitted the former president and most of the defendants, contending that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction, and convicted only Mauro Cid and Braga Netto on a single count. His stance was sharply criticized by colleagues, who underscored the extensive evidence presented by federal investigators and prosecutors.

A historic precedent

The ruling is regarded as unprecedented in Brazil’s democratic history, marking the first time that a former president and senior military commanders have been convicted for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. The majority of justices stressed that Bolsonaro was not a passive participant, but rather the principal architect of the conspiracy.

The enforcement of the sentences may take months, as appeals remain possible. In Bolsonaro’s case, legal experts note that a progression to house arrest cannot yet be ruled out.

Meanwhile, far-right lawmakers are advancing proposals for amnesty in Congress, drawing on Justice Fux’s dissent to challenge the legitimacy of the Court’s decision.