Brazil’s ex-president Bolsonaro, stands trial over involvement in coup plot

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro is set to face the nation’s highest court this week, standing accused of orchestrating a violent far-right conspiracy.

According to The Guardian. this was reportedly aimed at overthrowing the government after his defeat in the 2022 presidential election.

The 70-year-old former paratrooper, who led Brazil from 2019 to 2023, will be interrogated by the Supreme Court.

This comes as investigators seek to unravel what federal police describe as a sweeping three-year plan to undermine the country’s democracy.

Bolsonaro is one of several high-profile individuals expected to testify.

Among the seven other alleged co-conspirators are four of his former ministers, three of them army generals.

Also in the number is the former navy commander and Bolsonaro’s longtime aide, Lt. Col. Mauro Cid.

The interrogation, expected on Tuesday, marks a pivotal moment in Brazil’s modern political history.

Although the country emerged from a 21-year military dictatorship in 1985, it now finds itself reckoning with what many view as a near return to authoritarianism.

The attempted coup followed Bolsonaro’s loss to leftist leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a veteran politician who resumed office after defeating Bolsonaro in a tense 2022 runoff.

“This is the first time in Brazilian history that there is a real possibility of coup plotters facing justice,” said Bernardo Mello Franco, a political columnist for O Globo.

He noted that past coup attempts in Brazil were often followed either by successful power grabs that neutered the judiciary or by blanket amnesties.

Franco cited instance of blanket amnestiessuch as the one that followed the military regime from 1964 to 1985.

Bolsonaro stands accused of attempting to derail Lula’s presidency by force.

This was allegedly through a violent plan that may have included the assassination or arrest of top political figures.

These included persons like President-elect Lula, Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied all allegations.

The upcoming hearing has energized Bolsonaro’s critics.

This is particularly those who hold him responsible not only for the alleged coup attempt but also for:

• presiding over widespread destruction in the Amazon,
• eroding Indigenous rights, attacking human rights, and,
• mismanaging the COVID-19 crisis, which led to hundreds of thousands of deaths in Brazil.

Legal analysts believe there is a strong case against the former president.

According to Mello Franco, “Bolsonaro himself believes he’s already been convicted by the supreme court, he’s said as much.

Many legal experts agree that a conviction is likely, given the volume of evidence.”

Adding to the gravity of the accusations, Brazil’s former air force commander, Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Júnior, testified in court last week.

Brigadier Baptista Júnior, testified that in 2022 the army’s then-commander, General Marco Antônio Freire Gomes, had warned Bolsonaro he would be arrested if he attempted any unconstitutional move to stay in power.

Despite this mounting evidence, questions remain over whether Bolsonaro, even if convicted, will ever serve prison time.

One 2026 presidential hopeful, Romeu Zema, has already promised to pardon Bolsonaro if elected.

Bolsonaro himself remains a polarizing but influential figure, and although barred from running due to his attacks on Brazil’s electronic voting system, he continues to wield significant support.

That influence could be transferred to potential successors, including his sons Eduardo and Flávio Bolsonaro.

This is not excluding his wife Michelle Bolsonaro, or prominent conservative governors such as São Paulo’s Tarcísio de Freitas, Minas Gerais’ Romeu Zema, and Paraná’s Ratinho Júnior.

Attention is also focused on how Bolsonaro, widely known for his provocative, unpredictable behavior and Trump-like populism, will conduct himself during the proceedings.

On the eve of his appearance, he vowed not to use the hearing to “lacrar”, a slang term meaning to troll, grandstand, or mock the process.

However, he still described the court session as an “inquisition” and encouraged his supporters to watch, claiming the “truth” would be revealed.

Mello Franco emphasized the unpredictable nature of what’s to come: “It will be broadcast live, which is bonkers,” he said.

“The only predictable thing about Bolsonaro is that he’ll be unpredictable,” he added.

As Brazil watches closely, the trial stands as a dramatic test of its democracy.

It potentially sets a historic precedent by holding a former president accountable for attempting to subvert the democratic order.

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