The Supreme Court in Brazil decided unanimously to refer to the former president to trial Zaich Bolsonaro with the category of attempted coup.
Now Zaich Bolsonaro is in danger with a heavy penalty of imprisonmentwhile also seeing his hopes to return to political life in the future in Brazil and in power to erase.
This decision is Historical, for a country still haunted by memories of the 1964-85 military dictatorship.
The far-right former president (2019-22) was not in the courtroom and yesterday (25/03/2025) He said he was a victim of “the greatest political prosecution in Brazilian history”.
Nostalgia of the junta period, former army captain, 70 years old today, He is accused by prosecutors of being the “leader” of a “criminal organization” which has long been preparing a conspiracy in order to remain in power ‘in every way’after the 2022 elections, in which thetoured by the left Luis Inasio Lula da Silva.
According to the Federal Police, after his election defeat, the alleged conspirators They intended to draw up a decree to announce new elections. They were also planning The murder of Lula, the elected Vice President Geraldo Alkmin and the Judge of the Supreme Court Alexander de Moraes.
The accusations are heavy: a coup, an attempt to abolish the democratic rule of law and the establishment of an armed criminal organization.
The sentence that could be imposed on Bolsonaro for all charges exceeds 40 years, but is estimated to remain free until his trial.
Although Brazilian legislation does not provide for a specific timetable for the trial, experts estimate that Bolsonaro will be brought to court by the end of the year, because in 2026 it is an election year.
Bolsonaro has lost his right to be elected by 2030 because of attacks on electronic voting systems, but hopes that the decision will be canceled to be able to re -run for the 2026 presidential election.
If he is convicted of conspiracy against democracy, his hopes will erase and his party will be called upon to choose a successor while Lula’s popularity is declining, mainly due to the continued high inflation.
Judge Alexander de Moraes, who considers Bolsonaro “dictator”, was the first to vote “yes” to the proposal to refer to trial.
Citing Moraes’ “individual interest”, as a possible assassination goal, the defense attempted to force him to self -delegate, but in vain. Her attempt was without success to exclude two other members of the court, former Minister Lula, Flavio Dino, and former lawyer of today’s President Cristiano Zanin.
The judges also brought to trial seven other alleged conspirators, including many former ministers, the candidate vice president of the 2022 elections and former Navy commander Almir Garnier Santos.
According to the indictment, the coup was avoided because the other branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces did not support it. Prosecutors are claiming the events of January 8, 2023 in Brasilia.
One week after Lula’s swearing -in, thousands of Bolsonaru supporters invaded and plundered the buildings of the Supreme Court, Parliament and the Presidential Palace, demanding the intervention of the army and denouncing electoral fraud.
Lula returned to the presidency for a third term in 2023, after in the meantime he had his own dealings with justice and was even imprisoned on the charge of corruption, but then his conviction was canceled.