Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil's president, has launched an impassioned defence of his country's democracy, claiming the recent conviction of his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, had shown the world how would-be autocrats could be brought to heel. Speaking at the opening of the United Nations general assembly in New York, Lula hailed Brazil's successful effort to repel an unprecedented attack from Bolsonaro's extreme right movement.
The September 11 decision revolved around Bolsonaro's plan to overturn his 2022 electoral defeat and assassinate current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and two other top members of the Brazilian government. The panel of five Supreme Court justices voted 4-1 to convict Bolsonaro and sentenced him to 27 years and three months in prison. Brazilians celebrated in the streets in cities across the country. News reports showed people amassed, dancing, and playing music as if it were the festival of Carnival.
The majority of a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices on Thursday reached the votes needed to convict former president Jair Bolsonaro of plotting a coup in 2022 after he lost the presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The right-wing populist was found guilty after three out of five Supreme Court justices voted to convict. The judges can still change their decisions until a judgement is pronounced on Friday.
Tens of thousands of Bolsonaro's supporters gathered in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the capital, Brasilia, on Sunday, waving the flags of Brazil and the United States, in an apparent nod to President Donald Trump, an ally of the far-right former leader.
The future of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro is in the balance as his trial for masterminding a conspiracy to stay in power enters its final stage today. The country is bracing for unrest during the trial. A Supreme Court panel has scheduled sessions from September 2-12 to decide whether the populist ex-leader is guilty of seeking to overturn the result of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The far-right leader has been wearing an electronic ankle tag since mid-July and has been under house arrest since early August. But last Monday, the prosecutor general asked the supreme court to tighten surveillance of the 70-year-old, after federal police reported he had even drafted a request for political asylum in Argentina. In Tuesday's ruling, Justice Alexandre de Moraes agreed there was a risk of flight and ordered police to monitor Bolsonaro's Brasilia mansion 24 hours a day.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions for Brazilian judicial officials and their families, accusing Justice Alexandre de Moraes of creating a censorship complex.