The judicial triumph in Brasilia will test the democratic resilience of Latin America’s largest country, four decades after the overthrow of the military dictatorship. Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court convicted the far-right former president, Jair Bolsonaro, handing down a 27-year prison sentence. This landmark verdict could potentially escalate the open confrontation between Brasilia and Washington.
President Donald Trump has never concealed his opposition to the beleaguered leader’s trial. He once likened Bolsonaro’s legal battle to his own, dubbing the case a “witch hunt.” In a letter to the current third-term President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Trump called the criminal proceedings against Bolsonaro an international disgrace.
The high-profile case is connected to Bolsonaro’s attempt to overturn the 2022 elections and his alleged plot to stage a military coup and assassinate his opponent, President Lula. In response, the White House issued an executive order in July that imposed 50 percent tariffs on several of Brazil’s exports. It also sanctioned Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been leading the criminal case against Bolsonaro, alleging that Brazil’s actions represented a threat to U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economy.
The scene of busloads of rampaging Bolsonaro supporters storming the Brazilian capital in January 2023 to oust President Lula da Silva—who had been sworn in just a week earlier—bears chilling resemblance to the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill attacks orchestrated by President Trump in an effort to overturn Joe Biden’s election.
This latest verdict underscores the formidable obstacles to enforcing Brazil’s first-ever sentence for an attempted putsch, especially considering the country’s history of granting legal pardons for political crimes. Members of Congress and the media are already discussing the possibility of granting amnesty to Bolsonaro and his seven co-conspirators. This sentiment has been amplified by Bolsonaro’s former chief of staff, who described amnesty as a means to bring peace.
Adding complexity to the debate is President Lula da Silva’s own overturned conviction from the infamous Operation Car Wash corruption scandal. The outcome of this case could influence current discussions on political accountability.
Despite Washington’s threats and punitive tariffs, Brazil’s government has remained steadfast, emerging as an example for other nations defending the global multilateral framework. President Lula has been forthright in asserting that Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable. He has made it clear that the U.S. should recognize Brazil is not a banana republic.
President Lula has exposed the lack of economic rationale behind Trump’s punitive tariffs, noting that the U.S. neither runs a trade deficit with Brazil nor faces higher levies—since 75 percent of American exports to Brazil enter duty-free. He also pointed out that had the January 2021 Capitol raid in Washington occurred in Brazil, Trump himself would be facing prosecution just like Bolsonaro.
The events unfolding in the coming months will critically define Brazil’s credentials as a sovereign and democratic republic, both on domestic and international stages.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/brazil-supreme-court-convicts-jair-bolsonaro-27-year-sentence-tests-democracy-amid-us-tensions