Trump ally Bolsonaro stares down chance of prison as Brazil coup plot trial begins
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Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro leaves a hospital after undergoing medical examinations to return to house arrest on August 16. Photo: Mateus Bonomi/Anadolu via Getty Images
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro faces a potentially lengthy sentence over his alleged involvement in a scheme to overturn his 2022 election loss, an accusation he denies.
The big picture: Brazil's Federal Supreme Court begins the latest phase of the trial beneath the shadow of President Trump's threats to impose sweeping tariffs on Brazilian goods unless the country drops the criminal charges against his ally.
- The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing Bolsonaro's trial and had previously temporarily blocked Elon Musk's X in Latin America's largest nation.
- Trump, much like he described his own legal woes, has slammed the case as a "witch hunt" against his ally, as diplomatic ties between the U.S. and the government of current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva become strained.
Context: The ex-president, who Moraes ordered last month to be placed under house arrest, is accused of an attempted coup following the 2022 election, in which he refused to concede as his supporters stormed the presidential palace and other government buildings in January 2023.
- The riots, in many ways, paralleled the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.
- Brazil's highest election court in 2023 banned Bolsonaro from running for office for eight years, a result of him airing baseless claims that Brazil's electronic voting system could be rigged against him in 2022.
- That hasn't stopped Bolsonaro from claiming he'll run and envisioning a right-wing resurrection reminiscent of Trump's own return to power.
State of play: Bolsonaro faces charges that he oversaw a plot to cling to power after his loss, including being involved in alleged plans to kill his rival.
- The charges Bolsonaro and co-defendants face include "coup d'état" and "attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law," among others. In total, he faces five charges that will be heard by a panel of five justices of the country's Supreme Federal Court.
- Seven of his close allies are also on trial, including three generals. His former aide, Mauro Cid, signed a plea bargain with the prosecution, per the AP.
- Brazil's Supreme Court decided in March that Bolsonaro would face trial after analyzing prosecutors' complaints.
Catch up quick: The trial, which Bolsonaro has said is politically motivated, is a significant step in a years-long investigation into the fallout from the populist leader's election loss.
- After a two-year probe, Brazilian federal police formally accused Bolsonaro of being involved in the attempted coup, requesting that dozens of people be indicted over their alleged involvement in a criminal organization to keep him in power.
- Police have also accused Bolsonaro and one of his sons of obstruction of justice, saying the elder Bolsonaro planned to seek asylum in Argentina.
What we're watching: The proceedings and deliberations are set to last until Sept. 12.
- If convicted, Bolsonaro, 70, could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Go deeper: Trump's media group sues Brazilian judge after Bolsonaro indictment
