The coup trial of former populist President Jair Bolsonaro entered its final stage today as the Supreme Federal Court (Portuguese abbr: STF) hears closing arguments and prepares to deliver a sentence.
Bolsonaro is on trial for plotting to stay in power after losing the 2022 presidential election to leftist President Luis Inacio “Lula” Da Silva.
He and seven co-defendants allegedly schemed to dissolve the Supreme Court, empower the military and assassinate political opponents, including Lula and the Supreme Court justice overseeing the case, Alexandre de Moraes.
The alleged plot also involved spreading misinformation about the integrity of the voting system and orchestrating street protests to pressure the military into rejecting the election outcome.
The plot fizzled, but hardcore Bolsonaro supporters who had camped out in Brasilia trashed the Supreme Court, Presidential Palace and Congress on 8 January 2023, a week after Lula was inaugurated.
The five-judge panel, led by Moraes, is expected to issue its verdict on 12 September.
Bolsonaro almost certainly will be found guilty.
He faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Never before have high-ranking Brazilian officials been tried for plotting against a democratically elected government.
Protests have marked nearly every stage of the trial and will likely accompany the verdict.
Tens of thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters demonstrated on 3 August in at least 20 cities and towns against Moraes’ handling of the case.
They wore yellow and green national soccer jerseys, waved Brazilian, US and Israeli flags, and carried signs reading “Thank you, Trump” while chanting slogans praising the US president for condemning Moraes on behalf of Bolsonaro.
With demonstrations by Bolsonaro supporters likely in coming days, personnel should monitor developments closely, give wide berth to demonstrations and remain indoors in the event of unrest.
