Majority of judges vote to convict Bolsonaro of plotting attempted coup
Three judges on the five-person panel found the former president guilty – with one justice yet to return their verdict.
The majority of a panel of Brazilian supreme court justices on Thursday voted to convict former president Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in office despite his 2022 electoral defeat.
The ruling will deepen political divisions and likely prompt a backlash from the United States government.
The far-right politician, who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022, was found guilty on five counts by four members of a five-justice panel.
The latest to rule were Carmen Lucia and Cristiano Zanin on Thursday, a day after another justice, Luiz Fux, disagreed and voted to acquit the ex-president of all charges.
The panel will now decide on Bolsonaro’s sentence, which could amount to decades in prison.
The 70-year-old former president is currently under house arrest.
His lawyers have said that they will appeal the verdict to the full supreme court of 11 justices.
Bolsonaro, who has denied any wrongdoing, has not attended the court and has sent his lawyers.
The trial has been followed by a divided society, with people backing the process against the former president, while others still support him. Some have taken to the streets to back the far-right leader.
Bolsonaro’s trial got renewed attention after US President Donald Trump linked a 50% tariff on imported Brazilian goods to his ally’s legal situation, calling it a ” witch hunt”.
Observers say the US might announce new sanctions against Brazil after the trial, further straining their fragile diplomatic relations.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, said on Tuesday that Bolsonaro was the leader of a coup plot and of a criminal organisation, and voted in favour of convicting him.
Despite his legal woes, Bolsonaro remains a powerful political player in Brazil.
The far-right politician had been previously banned from running for office until 2030 in a separate case.
He is expected to choose an heir who is likely to challenge President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva next year.
The ruling may push Bolsonaro’s allies to seek some amnesty for him through Congress.
