That's what it's about

• Brazil's Supreme Court has sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison for an attempted coup.
• Bolsonaro is alleged to have led a criminal organization to overturn the 2022 election result against President Lula da Silva.
• Opponents call it a victory for the institutions, while supporters see it as political persecution – protests could follow.

Brazil's Supreme Court has sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison for a coup attempt. The court in Brasília announced the sentence on Thursday, shortly after four of five judges found Bolsonaro guilty in a historic ruling. Bolsonaro's lawyers announced they intend to appeal the verdict.

It was the first time a former head of state in Brazil had to face trial for an attempted coup. Bolsonaro has been under house arrest since the beginning of August for violating conditions and is being monitored because of the flight risk.

Bolsonaro as leader of criminal organization

The 70-year-old was convicted, among other things, of leading a criminal organization with the aim of staging a coup to overturn the result of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to the left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

In addition to Bolsonaro, seven other defendants, including former ministers and generals, were tried. They were also convicted.

Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil's president from 2019 to 2022, denies all allegations and describes himself as a victim of political persecution. His eldest son, Flávio Bolsonaro, stated on X that the conviction represents the highest form of persecution. History will show that Bolsonaro was on the right side.

USA wants to react to this witch hunt

US President Donald Trump declared he was deeply dissatisfied with the verdict. He had always considered Bolsonaro outstanding. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X that the US government would respond to this witch hunt accordingly.

Trump appears to identify with Bolsonaro. The US president was similarly impeached in 2023 for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election. He repeatedly described this as a witch hunt.

The US Treasury Department recently announced sanctions against Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who plays a key role in the proceedings. The 50 percent tariffs imposed by Trump on Brazilian imports are also apparently related to the Bolsonaro trial. Observers say the US could impose further sanctions against Brazil as a result of the ruling, which would further strain already strained diplomatic relations.

Reactions in the divided country – protests possible

Brazil is deeply polarized between supporters of left-wing President Lula and those of his right-wing predecessor, Bolsonaro. Many see the criminal proceedings as politically motivated, while others see them as proof of the strength of the institutions. Experts predict that the coming weeks could be marked by protests.