Brazil's Supreme Court began a pivotal hearing on Monday in the historic trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro and some of his former associates for a suspected coup attempt in 2022.
Dressed in a dark suit rather than his usual casual attire, 70-year-old Bolsonaro, who ruled Brazil from 2019 to 2022, sat with his co-defendants and lawyers facing Alexandre de Moraes, a powerful judge viewed as Bolsonaro’s chief adversary.
The prosecution accuses the former far-right president of being the “leader of a criminal organisation” that plotted to prevent the return of current leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated him in the 2022 election.
Former president maintains his innocence
According to the charges, the alleged coup plan, which even considered Lula’s assassination, failed due to a lack of support from the top military command.
The former president faces a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years.
Despite being ineligible to run for office until 2030, Bolsonaro remains the undisputed leader of the opposition against Lula. He maintains his innocence, claiming “political persecution” aimed at stopping his potential 2026 presidential bid and hopes to overturn his ineligibility.
The hearings are being held at the Supreme Court headquarters in Brasilia, a site vandalised on 8 January 2023, one week after Lula’s inauguration, by thousands of Bolsonaro supporters demanding a military intervention to oust his successor.
Four former ministers also on the defendants' bench
The hearings could last throughout the week. Bolsonaro, sixth in line according to the court’s schedule, is likely to facing questioning by Tuesday or Wednesday.
On Monday, the interrogation series started with Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro’s aide-de-camp during his presidency.
Cid is considered a traitor by Bolsonaro supporters for cooperating with authorities in the hope of a reduced sentence. His testimony helped investigators identify other actors involved in the alleged conspiracy and revealed incriminating messages exchanged between them.
On the defendants’ bench, Bolsonaro is joined by four of his former ministers, including three generals, a former Navy commander, and a former intelligence chief.
Although he is entitled to remain silent while under questioning, the ex-president stated on Thursday that he would answer the questions “without any problem” in hearings broadcast live on television.
Bolsonaro says he is happy to answer the court's questions
“It’s a great idea to discuss this coup story live; I’m very happy to have the chance to clarify the facts,” he asserted.
“It’s the moment of truth,” he summarised during a Friday event of his Liberal Party.
According to Brazilian media, Bolsonaro spent the weekend preparing for his questioning with his lawyers at the official residence of Sao Paulo’s governor, Tarcisio de Freitas.
De Freitas, a former minister, is a powerful ally; he is considered a potential candidate in 2026 if Bolsonaro cannot overturn his ineligibility.
In late May, during his testimony at the Supreme Court, the governor asserted that Bolsonaro had “never mentioned any attempt at institutional disruption” during their meetings after the 2022 elections. He described him as “sad and resigned” after losing to Lula.
Verdict expected to take several months
However, former military commanders confirmed that Bolsonaro discussed with them the potential drafting of a “state of siege” decree to annul the election.
The trial has progressed faster than the average criminal cases in Brazil, according to Rogerio Taffarello, an expert from the Getulio Vargas Foundation, who anticipates “an extremely complex legal discussion.”
The verdict is not expected for several months. After the prosecution’s closing arguments and the defence’s pleas, the five judges of the Supreme Court’s first chamber will vote to decide whether to convict the accused and determine any penalties if needed.
“Brazil’s history is being written,” Marcio Coimbra, director of the Casa Politica think tank, told French news agency AFP.
