Brazil’s ex-president Bolsonaro appeals 27-year sentence for attempted coup

Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, was given a 27-year prison sentence last month for a failed military coup after his 2022 election defeat, and his lawyer has filed an appeal.

The 85-page petition requested that Bolsonaro’s conviction, including his sentence, be reviewed.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has referred to the prosecution of his far-right ally as a “witch-hunt” and raised a serious issue with Brazil’s relations with his country.

Following the 2022 election, Bolsonaro was found guilty in September for attempting to oust President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

A week after Lula’s inauguration, crowds reportedly stormed government buildings, drawing comparisons to the riot on January 6 at the US Capitol after Joe Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

Bolsonaro’s attorneys’ motion claimed that his conviction and sentence had been “deep injustices.” How much of a sentence reduction was being sought, it wasn’t stated.

failed coup

Bolsonaro was found guilty of five crimes last month by four of the five judges on a Supreme Court panel, including organizing a coup and participating in an armed criminal organization.

According to the prosecution, the plot involved the murder of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, and was only successful because military leaders lacked support.

In July, Trump announced punitive tariffs against Brazil and put sanctions on Brazilian officials, citing his frustration with the prosecution.

Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, has denied having done anything wrong. He won’t go to prison until all legal avenues are exhausted, according to Brazilian law.

Possible judicial revisions

The Supreme Court has made changes in the past, including the sentence length, according to Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

According to Reuters, defendants who have been given Supreme Court sentences typically need two judges to disagree on a ruling and file an appeal that might have a significant impact on the outcome.

Bolsonaro’s attorneys filed a lesser motion for clarification or review of specific aspects of the conviction after only one justice disagreed.

Bolsonaro, 70, may ask for house arrest if his appeal is unsuccessful because of his poor health.