Bolsonaro Denies Coup Plot In Supreme Court Testimony \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro denied involvement in a plot to overturn the 2022 election during a landmark Supreme Court appearance. He and seven allies face serious charges linked to a failed effort to block President Lula’s victory. The trial stems from the January 2023 riot and alleged coup attempt.
Quick Looks
- Bolsonaro appeared before Brazil’s Supreme Court, denying all coup-related charges.
- He faces up to 12 years for attempted coup; decades if convicted on all charges.
- The case centers on the January 2023 riot and alleged efforts to overturn Lula’s win.
- Bolsonaro claims political persecution, denies any “state of siege” plan.
- Former aide Mauro Cid testified Bolsonaro edited a coup-related document.
- 26 additional defendants will be questioned later; 8 on trial now.
- The plot allegedly included plans to assassinate Lula and Justice de Moraes.
- Bolsonaro is already banned from running until 2030 due to past abuses.
Deep Look
In a dramatic moment for Brazilian democracy, former President Jair Bolsonaro appeared before the country’s Supreme Court on Tuesday and firmly denied participating in any plot to remain in power or to subvert the 2022 election results. The court, in a historic proceeding, is examining Bolsonaro’s role in what prosecutors call a failed coup attempt following his loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Broadcast live to a nation still haunted by the January 8, 2023 riot that saw mobs ransack Brazil’s Supreme Court, Congress, and presidential palace, the trial marks the first time a Brazilian president has faced criminal charges for an attempted coup.
Looking calm, Bolsonaro sat before a panel of justices along with seven of his closest political and military allies, all accused of scheming to reverse the election outcome. Dismissing the charges as baseless, Bolsonaro told the court, “There was never any talk of a coup. A coup is an abominable thing. Brazil couldn’t go through something like that.”
While he acknowledged discussing “possibilities” with military leaders after Lula’s election victory, Bolsonaro insisted that all conversations remained within constitutional boundaries, though he declined to elaborate further.
Notably, Bolsonaro exchanged light-hearted remarks with Justice Alexandre de Moraes, despite the fact that prosecutors say the justice was a potential assassination target in the alleged plot. Bolsonaro’s previously hostile rhetoric toward the court — and de Moraes in particular — has been widely reported, making the exchange all the more striking.
The former president and his co-defendants are facing five serious charges:
- Attempted coup d’état
- Participation in an armed criminal organization
- Attempted violent abolition of democratic rule
- Aggravated damage
- Deterioration of protected national heritage
A conviction on the coup charge alone carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison, but prosecutors say that the combined charges could amount to several decades behind bars.
When questioned by Justice de Moraes at the outset of the hearing, Bolsonaro flatly rejected the accusations. “The accusation does not hold, your excellency,” he said, reiterating his claim that the case is politically motivated. He added that any theoretical effort to declare a state of siege “had no environment, no opportunity. We didn’t have even a minimally solid base to do anything.”
Among the key figures also facing trial are Bolsonaro’s former running mate and defense minister Walter Braga Netto, former ministers Anderson Torres and Augusto Heleno, and ex-aide Mauro Cid, who has struck a plea bargain with federal police.
Cid’s testimony is particularly damaging. On Monday, he told the court that Bolsonaro had read and edited a draft decree aimed at invalidating the election. He also said Bolsonaro refused to intervene against groups of supporters who camped outside military facilities demanding an army-led coup. Many of those demonstrators later took part in the violent insurrection on January 8.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet argues that the riot was part of a larger, coordinated conspiracy to overturn Lula’s victory. He alleges the plan included a failed attempt to assassinate both President Lula and Justice de Moraes, which reportedly stalled when the group was unable to secure the backing of the military’s top brass.
The stakes are immense — not only for Bolsonaro, but for Brazil’s democracy. Thiago Bottino, law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, called the case unprecedented. “It’s the first time we see people accused of an attempted coup being subjected to a criminal trial with full legal protections,” he said. “They can defend themselves — but they are also being held accountable.”
Bolsonaro, a former army captain who often spoke favorably of Brazil’s 1964–1985 military dictatorship during his presidency, governed from 2019 to 2022. Throughout his term, he repeatedly attacked Brazil’s electoral system, spreading baseless claims of fraud. His refusal to accept Lula’s 2022 victory set the stage for widespread unrest.
In 2023, Brazil’s top electoral court ruled that Bolsonaro had abused presidential power and spread disinformation about voting integrity, issuing a ban that bars him from running for office until 2030.
The trial also highlights growing concerns about the militarization of Brazilian politics, given the number of Bolsonaro’s allies who come from military backgrounds. Legal experts warn that the country’s fragile democratic institutions must be vigorously defended if Brazil hopes to avoid a slide into authoritarianism.
The Supreme Court has already interviewed dozens of witnesses, and questioning for 26 more defendants is expected to continue in the coming weeks. As the proceedings unfold, Brazilians are watching closely to see whether one of the most polarizing figures in their modern political history will face real accountability — or walk away claiming vindication.
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