Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro appeared in court on Monday, accused of plotting a coup to prevent his defeat in the 2022 election. A co-accused testified that Bolsonaro helped draft a plan to “redo” the election he lost.
Prosecutors allege Bolsonaro led a “criminal organisation” to block leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s victory and enlisted plans to assassinate him, his vice president, and Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. Bolsonaro denies all charges and faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted.
The trial is the first for an attempted coup under a democratic regime in Brazil. Bolsonaro’s former allies and enemies will testify against each other, including Mauro Cid, who turned state’s witness after testifying that Bolsonaro received and edited a draft decree to declare a state of emergency.
Bolsonaro plans to respond “without any problem” to court questions, calling the trial an opportunity to clarify what happened. The former president, barred from running in 2026 presidential elections, hopes to turn the tables on his prosecution by showing openness and willingness to discuss the coup plot.
Source: https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250609-redo-the-election-brazil-s-ex-president-bolsonaro-appears-in-court-on-attempted-coup-charges