The allegations against the former military man Bolsonaro are very serious. According to the prosecutor, Bolsonaro was aware of and approved a plan to poison his arch-political rival, the left-leaning Lula da Silva, after a very narrow election loss to him in 2022. The same plans are also said to include an assassination attempt on a judge in the Supreme Court.
But the indictment goes further than that. Bolsonaro is also accused of having armed criminal gangs with the aim of overthrowing Brazil's democratic system of government and installing himself as president. After the election loss, the gangs launched a violent attack on, among other things, Congress and the Supreme Court, where they destroyed property worth millions of kronor.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro now risks more than 40 years in prison.
Supported by Trump
The indictment has already had significant consequences. From the White House, President Donald Trump has made it clear that all attempts to convict Bolsonaro will be met with countermeasures. When 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods were introduced, Trump explicitly stated that they were a direct result of the "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro.
Trump has also imposed sanctions on Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court judge handling the case against Bolsonaro. The sanctions prevent Moraes from entering the US and block all types of banking transactions.
The friendship between Trump and Bolsonaro is characterized by shared conservative values and contempt for social institutions such as the media, the education system, and the environmental movement. They have mutually expressed admiration for each other's leadership style.
Political watershed
The case against Bolsonaro is a watershed in the politically polarized Brazil. Like in the US, the political camps have moved away from the center, and the verdict is likely to result in widespread popular protests regardless of the outcome.
While people loyal to Bolsonaro claim that the evidence against him is fabricated, the prosecution claims that the evidence against Bolsonaro and his over 30 co-defendants is strong.
The verdict is expected to be delivered by September 12 at the latest.
Jair Bolsonaro, born March 21, 1955, in São Paulo, is a Brazilian politician and former military man.
He was President of Brazil from 2019 to 2023.
Bolsonaro is known for his national conservative and polarizing style and has expressed his support for Brazil's military dictatorship (1964-1985).
He has been criticized for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing deforestation of the Amazon, and his harsh statements about minorities and women.
In 2022, he lost the presidential election to Lula da Silva.
