(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 3, 2023, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during a "Power of the People Rally" at Trump National Doral resort in Miami, Florida. - Bolsonaro is in hot water over allegations he tried to illegally import millions of dollars' worth of jewellery given to him and his wife by Saudi Arabia in October 2021. The scandal has triggered multiple investigations, potentially complicating life for Bolsonaro -- who is expected to return soon to Brazil from the United States, where the far-right ex-army captain has been living since just before his leftist successor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, took office on January 1. Brazilian media reported on March 13, 2023, that Bolsonaro had agreed to hand a second set of jewels over to the authorities pending investigation. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
In a historic ruling, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) has sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to over 27 years in prison for orchestrating an attempted coup.
The decision, announced by a majority of the STF’s five-member chamber, marks the first time a former Brazilian president has faced conviction for such a charge.
The 70-year-old politician, absent from the courtroom, was found guilty following the January 8, 2023, storming of Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace by his supporters.
Since August, Bolsonaro has been confined to house arrest for breaching prior court orders.
The verdict, initially set for Friday, underscores a pivotal moment in Brazil’s political landscape.
