247 - The defense attorneys for Bolsonaro and seven other convicted individuals have announced they will appeal. However, Supreme Court justices consider it feasible for the former president to begin serving his sentence in a closed regime this year.
With the conviction, Bolsonaro finds himself at a crossroads: transform his image as a persecuted leader into enough political capital to stay in the game or risk losing ground on the Brazilian right's board.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro now faces his biggest political test: remaining in politics after being sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison by the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
According to Coluna do Estadão , the Liberal Party (PL) is discussing how to reposition its operations. Direct contact with Bolsonaro will be limited due to the serving of his sentence, which should lead to the selection of spokespersons to preserve the political narrative of his base. Hours before the verdict, on Thursday (11), Bolsonaro appeared in front of his house in Brasília. Silently, he smiled, gave a"thumbs up" sign and posed for photos. Experts consulted by Coluna do Estadão interpreted the gestures as an effort to convey the image of a"revived" and, at the same time,"gagged" leader.
"Former President Bolsonaro is trying to lend an image to the argument presented in Justice Luiz Fux's vote, which, broadly speaking, questions not only the final result but also the way the Supreme Court ruled," said Rafael Cortez, a political scientist at Tendências Consultoria. For him,"Bolsonaro's presence in the photo is a way to encapsulate this image of persecution."
On the eve of the trial, Senator Damares Alves (Republicans-DF) led a prayer to cheer up her ally, who, according to reports from visitors, was dejected and having hiccups. The turnaround came with Justice Luiz Fux's favorable vote, interpreted as a political boost capable of renewing Bolsonaro's discourse and maintaining
The legal repercussions remain uncertain. Politically, Bolsonaro will focus his speech on his status as"persecuted and wronged."
Allies also see another way out: the possible election of São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas to the Planalto Palace, which could allow for a presidential pardon or even a review of the trial if the political landscape changes.
