Former Brazilian Leader Faces Decades Behind Bars
Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, has been ordered to begin serving a substantial 27-year prison sentence for his central role in orchestrating a plot to overthrow the country's democratic government. The far-right leader, who governed from 2019 to 2022, will be incarcerated in a 12 square metre bedroom within a police base located in the capital city, Brasília.
The Coup Conspiracy and Supreme Court Ruling
The conviction stems from a Supreme Court finding in September that found Bolsonaro guilty of leading a criminal conspiracy designed to prevent his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from assuming power. The court detailed a sinister plot that included plans to assassinate not only Lula but also his running mate, Geraldo Alckmin.
This attempt to "annihilate" Brazilian democracy and revert the nation to a dictatorship ultimately failed after the country's military chiefs refused to participate. Alongside Bolsonaro, six accomplices were also convicted for their parts in the conspiracy.
Arrests and Sentences for Co-Conspirators
The Supreme Court justice, Alexandre de Moraes, ruled that Bolsonaro must commence his sentence after the formal conclusion of the case and the elapsing of the appeals period. Bolsonaro had been living under house arrest since August. His transfer to full custody came after a desperate attempt to remove his electronic ankle tag using a soldering iron.
His six co-conspirators have also been ordered to start their sentences. Key figures include:
- Gen Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, the former defence minister, arrested and receiving a 19-year sentence.
- Gen Augusto Heleno, the former minister for institutional security, arrested and receiving a 21-year sentence.
- Adm Almir Garnier Santos, the former navy commander, receiving a 24-year sentence and held on a navy base.
- Gen Walter Braga Netto, another former defence minister, already in custody and sentenced to 26 years.
- Anderson Torres, the former justice minister, sentenced to 24 years and expected to be sent to a special penitentiary.
- Alexandre Ramagem, the former spy chief, who received a 16-year sentence but fled to the US to avoid imprisonment.
Following a visit with his father, Carlos Bolsonaro told reporters that the former president is "psychologically devastated" by the turn of events, marking a dramatic fall from power for the once-dominant political figure.
