Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest, weeks after his historic conviction for plotting a coup to stay in power following his 2022 election defeat. According to Reuters, Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the measure was necessary to guarantee public order and ensure the enforcement of criminal law.
‘’The guarantee of public order and the need to ensure the full application of criminal law justify the maintenance of house arrest and other precautionary measures,’’ Moraes wrote in his ruling.
Bolsonaro, 70, was sentenced in September to 27 years and three months in prison after a panel of five justices found him guilty of five crimes, including attempting to violently abolish democracy, organizing a coup, and taking part in an armed criminal group.
The former president’s lawyers have appealed, describing the sentence as “absurdly excessive.” Bolsonaro’s defence team did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday’s decision.
Read Also: Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict, Rebukes U.S. Tariffs
The September ruling made Bolsonaro the first ex-president in Brazil’s history to be convicted for attacking democracy. The case stemmed from his alleged efforts to overturn the 2022 election won by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and from public remarks in which he cast doubt on Brazil’s electronic voting system.
Justice Cármen Lúcia, one of the judges who voted to convict, said at the time that Bolsonaro had acted “with the purpose of eroding democracy and institutions.”
Bolsonaro’s conviction also extended to seven of his allies, including five military officers, marking the first time in nearly 140 years that members of Brazil’s armed forces have been punished for attempting to undermine civilian rule.
The verdict drew sharp criticism from Bolsonaro’s international allies, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who called the case a “witch hunt.” Washington later imposed sanctions on several Brazilian justices and raised tariffs in response.
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry condemned the comments as interference in domestic affairs, saying the judiciary’s independence “would not be intimidated.” President Lula, meanwhile, said he had no fear of further U.S. sanctions, insisting Brazil’s institutions would uphold the rule of law.
Bolsonaro, a former army captain and populist leader, rose from the back benches of Congress to the presidency in 2018 on a wave of conservative anger at corruption scandals. His tenure was marked by deep political polarisation, environmental deregulation, and skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines.
After losing the 2022 election, he refused to concede and left for Florida days before Lula’s inauguration. He has since remained a central figure for Brazil’s right-wing movement despite being barred from running for office until 2030.
