Bolsonaro Begins 27-year Prison Sentence for Coup Plotting
Brasília, Brazil – former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has begun serving a 27-year prison sentence after a court order mandated he and six co-conspirators commence their terms for plotting a failed coup aimed at overturning the 2022 election results. The landmark decision marks the first time a former Brazilian president has been imprisoned for crimes against the democratic order.
The sentencing concludes a high-profile inquiry into attempts to illegally remain in power following Bolsonaro’s defeat to current President Luiz Inácio lula da Silva. The case underscores the fragility of Brazil’s democratic institutions and sets a precedent for accountability of political leaders.The unfolding events have deeply divided the nation and raise questions about the future of Brazil’s political landscape as the country grapples wiht the aftermath of a deeply polarized election and the threat of anti-democratic movements.
Bolsonaro, who was stripped of his political rights, reportedly attempted to tamper with his electronic ankle tag using a soldering iron, according to reports. Six other individuals implicated in the plot have also begun their sentences.
Among those arrested are two former defense ministers: Gen Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, sentenced to 19 years, and Gen Augusto Heleno, sentenced to 21 years, both imprisoned at the Planalto Military Command in Brasília. Former navy commander Adm Almir Garnier Santos, facing a 24-year sentence, was apprehended by navy officials and is being held on a navy base.
Gen Walter Braga Netto, Bolsonaro’s former defense minister, who received a 26-year sentence, was already in custody following his arrest in December 2023. Anderson Torres, the former justice minister sentenced to 24 years, is expected to be incarcerated at Papudinha, a penitentiary in Brasília for police officers and other “special” prisoners. Alexandre Ramagem,the former spy chief sentenced to 16 years,has reportedly fled to the United States to evade imprisonment.
Carlos Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, stated to reporters after visiting his father, “He’s psychologically devastated.”
