“A lesson in democracy” was given to the world by the trial that led to the imprisonment of the former head of state, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for an attempted coup, the president claimed.
“For the first time in the 500-year history of this country, someone is imprisoned for an attempted coup,” the Brazilian president said during an event in the capital, Brasilia.
The decision for Bolsonaro example against Lula
In September, Bolsonaro was found guilty by Brazil’s Supreme Court of a conspiracy – along with high-ranking officers of the armed forces – aimed at preventing the return to power of Lula, who won the October 2022 presidential election.
Bolsonaro’s conviction was historic in a country still haunted by the memories of the military dictatorship (1964-1985). The 70-year-old former president (2019-2022) began serving his sentence at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, where he had been remanded since Saturday.
“Without fanfare, the Brazilian judiciary made a show of strength, was not intimidated by external threats and delivered an exemplary verdict,” Lula said.
Bolsonaro’s trial has sparked major tensions in relations between Brazil and the US, as the far-right former president has been an ally of Donald Trump. Citing a “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro, the US president imposed punitive tariffs on imports of several products from Brazil. He reduced them significantly, however, after his meeting with Lula in October.
