The former president faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit
Bolsonaro, who faces the possibility of being sentenced to up to 40 years in prison for political reasons, did not appear this Wednesday in the chamber of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in Brasília, unlike the previous day, when the first day of deliberations took place.
The Supreme Court of Brazil, close to the socialist dictator Lula da Silva, unanimously decided to bring the former president and opposition leader Jair Bolsonaro to trial on the pretext of having participated in an alleged "attempted coup d'état."
The former president and seven other defendants, including high-ranking military officials and former ministers of his administration (2019-2022), were charged by the Prosecutor's Office with "violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, attempted coup d'état, involvement in an armed criminal organization, qualified damage, and deterioration of property."
The authoritarian investigating judge of the case, Alexandre de Moraes, was the first to cast his vote, followed by magistrates Flávio Dino, Luiz Fux, Carmen Lúcia, and Cristiano Zanin, who agreed in their decision.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, filled with judges close to Lula, former president Bolsonaro, 70 years old, allegedly led a criminal group with the aim of "preventing the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva" after his defeat in the 2022 elections.
According to the corrupt investigation conducted by Lula da Silva's judges, Bolsonaro allegedly planned to declare a "state of exception" with "military support," and the possibility of "attacking Lula," Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and the authoritarian judge Alexandre de Moraes was discussed.
In recent interviews, Jair Bolsonaro reiterated that he is a victim of political persecution. "I am innocent," he stated. He also expressed his fear for his life if he were imprisoned: "I have no doubt that within 30 days, at most, they will kill me," he commented, without pointing to possible culprits.
Already disqualified until 2030 by the Superior Electoral Court, Bolsonaro has indicated that he hopes to overturn this decision. "For now, I am a candidate," he said this month, with an eye on the 2026 elections.
