Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered to begin serving a substantial 27-year prison sentence after his conviction for masterminding a criminal conspiracy to overthrow the country's democratic government.
The Coup Plot That Shook Brazilian Democracy
The far-right populist, who governed Latin America's largest democracy from 2019 until 2022, received his punishment in September when the supreme court found him guilty of leading a criminal organisation aimed at preventing his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from assuming power.
The conspiracy involved chilling plans to assassinate both Lula and his running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, though the scheme ultimately collapsed after military leaders refused to participate. The court subsequently convicted Bolsonaro and six accomplices of attempting to "annihilate" Brazilian democracy and drag the nation back into dictatorship.
Justice Served: Prison Sentences Begin
On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that Bolsonaro must commence his prison term after the formal conclusion of the appeals process. The former leader will be confined to a 12 square metre bedroom within a police base in Brasília, marking a dramatic fall from power for the once-dominant political figure.
Bolsonaro had been living under house arrest since August, but his situation deteriorated further when authorities took him into preventive custody on Saturday. This followed his unsuccessful attempt to remove his electronic ankle monitor using a soldering iron.
Accomplices Face Similar Fate
Bolsonaro's six co-conspirators have also been ordered to begin their prison sentences, with several high-profile figures among them:
- Former defence minister General Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira received a 19-year sentence
- Former minister for institutional security General Augusto Heleno was given 21 years
- Former navy commander Admiral Almir Garnier Santos received 24 years
- Bolsonaro's former defence minister General Walter Braga Netto was sentenced to 26 years
- Former justice minister Anderson Torres received a 24-year term
- Former spy chief Alexandre Ramagem was sentenced to 16 years but fled to the United States
The two senior military officials were arrested and imprisoned at the Planalto Military Command in Brasília, while the former navy commander was detained by navy officials and confined to a naval base.
Carlos Bolsonaro, the former president's son, revealed his father's fragile mental state to reporters after visiting him, stating simply: "He's psychologically devastated."
This landmark case represents one of the most significant political prosecutions in Brazil's recent history, demonstrating the judiciary's determination to hold even the most powerful figures accountable for attacks on democratic institutions.
