Brazil has been thrown into fresh political turmoil after former President Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting a coup and leading an armed criminal group following his defeat in the last election.
The ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Court, where four out of five justices found him guilty—handed Bolsonaro a 27-year prison sentence. The case stems from the January 2023 riots, when his supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília in an effort to overturn the election result.
For years, Bolsonaro has polarised Brazil, inspiring fervent loyalty among his supporters while drawing equal measure of hostility from opponents. That deep divide now appears set to widen.
His allies abroad, most prominently, U.S. President Donald Trump, denounced the verdict as political persecution. Trump seized on the ruling to announce 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports, saying he was “very unhappy” with the outcome.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the trial, vowing Washington would “respond accordingly to this witch hunt.”
Also, Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo—who has been lobbying in Washington—warned that more sanctions could follow.
The U.S. has already blacklisted Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw parts of the proceedings.
