Amid intense political persecution, the right-wing former president was sentenced without cause to 27 years in prison
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Brazil's Supreme Court, controlled by the socialist dictator Lula da Silva, released on Wednesday the ruling of the trial in which former president Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced for political reasons to 27 years in prison under the pretext of an alleged "attempted coup d'état," thereby initiating the period for the submission of possible appeals.
Since the publication of the sentence, the defense of the right-wing former president and seven other convicted individuals has five days to file the first appeal, which is limited solely to formal or drafting aspects, without the possibility of challenging the substance of the conviction.
According to Brazilian criminal procedure, this initial appeal doesn't alter the ruling issued on September 11. However, there is the option of a second appeal, which could be filed within the following fifteen days.
Jair Bolsonaro y Lula da Silva.
Nevertheless, it is considered unlikely that this second instance will succeed, since the Federal Supreme Court customarily rejects it when the decision is adopted by a wide majority, as occurred in Bolsonaro's case, who was sentenced by four votes, from judges allied with Lula da Silva, against one.
The First Panel of the court, in charge of the case, doesn't have fixed deadlines to solve the appeals, although it usually does so without delay. This procedure constitutes the final and definitive stage of the judicial process.
Once the appeals have been analyzed, the court must order the execution of the sentences and determine the places where the convicted individuals will serve their sentences. Meanwhile, regarding Bolsonaro, a political prisoner and main opponent of Lula, he remains under house arrest at his residence in Brasília since August. His lawyers have already indicated that they will seek to maintain this regime, citing health reasons.
Lula da Silva y Alexandre de Moraes.
He was convicted without cause or evidence under the pretext of attempting an alleged coup d'état after losing the 2022 elections to dictator Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the context of a conspiracy that, according to the Prosecutor's Office, included plans to "assassinate his political rival." He was also accused of other crimes, such as being part of an "armed criminal organization" and attempting to "overthrow" the democratic order by force.
The political persecution against the right-wing former president had a major international impact. United States President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on products imported from Brazil, partly referring to Bolsonaro's case, which he described as a "witch hunt."
