Brazil Supreme Court panel rejects Bolsonaro’s appeal, upholding 27-year sentence

SAO PAULO — The Supreme Court panel in Brazil unanimously rejected former President Jair Bolsonaro’s appeal on Friday. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the rapporteur of the case, dismissed all defense arguments as “unfeasible” and stated that there were no omissions in the sentencing. Justices Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, and Cármen Lúcia also supported this decision.

Bolsonaro was convicted in September of attempting a coup after his electoral defeat in 2022 and was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison. He has been on house arrest since August.

His legal team filed an appeal on Oct. 28 to reduce the sentence, arguing that the charges overlap and the cumulative penalties are unjust. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing and has been convicted on various charges including participating in an armed criminal organization and attempting to abolish the democratic rule of law through violence.

The trial garnered international attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods citing Bolsonaro’s case as a reason. This led to strained U.S.-Brazil relations, which have since improved following discussions between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Trump.

For more news on Latin America, visit AP Latin America coverage.