Tue Oct 28 08:33:49 UTC 2025: Bolsonaro Appeals 27-Year Sentence, Sparks Tension Between Brazil and US
Brasilia, Brazil – Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is appealing his 27-year prison sentence for his involvement in a failed coup attempt following his 2022 election loss, a move that has significantly escalated tensions between Brazil and the United States.
Bolsonaro’s legal team filed an 85-page motion with the Supreme Court on Monday, arguing “deep injustices” in his conviction and seeking a review of the sentence. The former president was convicted last month on multiple charges, including participation in a criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, and orchestrating a coup aimed at preventing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office. The plot, prosecutors allege, involved assassinating key government officials.
The case has drawn sharp criticism from former US President Donald Trump, a close ally of Bolsonaro, who has decried the prosecution as a “witch-hunt.” Trump has even gone so far as to make the case a point of contention in US-Brazil relations, announcing punitive tariffs and sanctions against Brazilian officials in July in protest.
The legal battle unfolds as Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest, denies any wrongdoing. Under Brazilian law, he will not be imprisoned until all appeals are exhausted. Experts suggest that while a reversal of the Supreme Court’s ruling is unlikely, past revisions, including sentence adjustments, have occurred. If the appeal fails, Bolsonaro, 70, could request to serve his sentence under house arrest, citing health concerns following a recent skin cancer diagnosis and other medical issues.
The situation is being closely watched as it could potentially reshape the political landscape in Brazil and further strain relations between the two countries.
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