Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Ordered To Begin Serving 27-Year Prison Sentence

Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving his 27-year prison sentence for attempting to overturn the 2022 presidential election. Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled Tuesday that Bolsonaro’s conviction is now final after his legal team chose not to file the last available appeal.

Bolsonaro has been in custody since Saturday at the Federal Police headquarters, where he will remain to serve his sentence. He was arrested after authorities accused him of tampering with his court-ordered ankle monitor. The Supreme Court later released a video it says shows Bolsonaro using a soldering iron to interfere with the device. Bolsonaro reportedly told officers he did so because medications caused him to hallucinate, not in an attempt to escape house arrest.

His legal team maintains the conviction is unjustified. Attorney Paulo Cunha Bueno posted on X that Bolsonaro plans to continue fighting the ruling, despite Moraes’ determination that the judgment is final.

The case stems from the aftermath of the 2022 election, when Bolsonaro lost to current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Federal investigators say Bolsonaro and several allies immediately began exploring illegal ways to stay in power. Authorities allege that effort culminated in the violent January 8, 2023 attack on government buildings in Brasilia carried out by his supporters.

The political implications reach beyond Brazil’s borders. After U.S. President Donald Trump won reelection in 2024, the United States began weighing in on the case as part of its foreign policy. In July, Trump imposed steep tariffs on certain Brazilian exports, calling the prosecution a “witch hunt.” By the time of Bolsonaro’s arrest, however, the administration had introduced tariff exceptions for Brazil’s major exports. When asked about the arrest over the weekend, Trump told reporters he had not yet heard the news but called it “too bad.”

Authorities say the investigation into Bolsonaro’s actions and the broader plot will continue. This remains a developing story.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.