Brazil’s political landscape has been rocked by the recent conviction and sentencing of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who received a 27-year and three-month prison term for his role in an attempted coup following the 2022 election. The verdict, delivered by the Supreme Court on September 11, 2025, has sent ripples through the country’s institutions and strained relations with the United States, as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva fiercely defends the court’s decision amid mounting international criticism.
Bolsonaro, who led Brazil from 2019 to 2022, was found guilty on all five charges brought against him, with four out of five Supreme Court justices on the panel voting to convict. The proceedings, which followed months of investigation, uncovered chilling details: plans to assassinate Lula, the vice president, and a Supreme Court justice, as well as a draft decree that would have effectively annulled the 2022 election results. According to The New York Times, Lula emphasized, “This was not a ‘witch hunt’. The judgment was the result of proceedings carried out in accordance with Brazil’s 1988 Constitution, enacted after two decades of struggle against a military dictatorship.”
Bolsonaro’s supporters, however, remain undeterred. As the former president—currently under house arrest—left his home for a hospital visit to remove eight skin lesions, dozens of loyalists gathered outside the medical facility in Brasilia, brandishing flags and chanting, “Amnesty now!” The Associated Press spoke with Deuselis Filho, 46, who explained, “We’re here to provide spiritual and psychological support.” The push for amnesty has gained traction among Bolsonaro’s allies in Congress, though the likelihood of a successful appeal appears slim according to legal experts cited by BBC and The New York Times.
Bolsonaro’s health has also made headlines. His doctor, Claudio Birolini, reported that the former president was “quite weak” and suffering from slight anemia, “probably due to poor nutrition over the last month.” The biopsied lesions add yet another layer of uncertainty to Bolsonaro’s future, as he awaits the Supreme Court’s formal publication of the ruling—a process that could take up to 60 days. Once published, Bolsonaro’s lawyers will have five days to file motions for clarification, and they have already announced plans to appeal both the conviction and sentence before the full 11-member Supreme Court.
The Brazilian judiciary’s decisive action has not gone unnoticed abroad. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has faced his own legal battles and repeatedly labeled the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol a “witch hunt,” quickly drew parallels between his situation and Bolsonaro’s. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “It’s very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it,” describing Bolsonaro as a “good president” and a “good man.”
The U.S. administration’s response has gone beyond rhetoric. In a move that has sparked widespread debate, Trump imposed a sweeping 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports, including staple exports like coffee and beef. Lula, in an opinion piece published in The New York Times on September 14, 2025, criticized the tariffs as “misguided” and “illogical,” pointing out that the U.S. has maintained a $410 billion trade surplus with Brazil over the past 15 years. “The motivation of the White House is political,” Lula wrote, arguing that the tariffs are an attempt to seek “impunity” for Bolsonaro. He also dismissed accusations from the Trump administration that Brazil’s justice system unfairly targeted U.S. tech firms, stating that Brazilian courts were right to regulate the internet and that U.S. companies were not being singled out.
Relations between the two countries have grown increasingly tense. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would “respond accordingly to this witch hunt,” and the administration has sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw Bolsonaro’s trial, in addition to revoking visas for most justices involved. Lula, for his part, has called for “an open and frank dialogue” with Trump but has drawn a clear line: “President Trump, we remain open to negotiating anything that can bring mutual benefits. But Brazil’s democracy and sovereignty are not on the table.”
The events in Brasilia on January 8, 2023—when Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed the presidential palace, the Supreme Court, and Congress—have been widely compared to the U.S. Capitol riot two years earlier. Lula, referencing this parallel, described Bolsonaro’s actions as “an effort to subvert the popular will at the ballot box.” As BBC noted, Lula is proud of what he calls the Supreme Court’s “historic decision” to safeguard Brazil’s institutions and the rule of law.
Economists in Brazil warn that the U.S. tariffs could cost tens of thousands of jobs, especially in agriculture and manufacturing sectors that rely heavily on exports to the American market. However, the blow has been softened by Brazil’s robust trade relationships with other countries, particularly China, and by subsequent U.S. exemptions for certain goods such as aircraft parts and orange juice. Still, American consumers are feeling the pinch, with prices of Brazilian coffee rising further due to both tariffs and recent droughts.
Despite the gravity of the sentence handed down to Bolsonaro, the process is far from over. The Supreme Court panel’s ruling must still be formally published, and the appeals process could stretch on for months. While some of Bolsonaro’s supporters hope for a political solution—such as congressional amnesty—most legal analysts believe the verdict will stand.
As the dust settles, the broader implications for Brazil’s democracy and its place on the world stage remain uncertain. Lula’s administration is keen to project an image of institutional strength and adherence to constitutional principles, even as it navigates a fraught relationship with its largest trading partner. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro’s fate hangs in the balance, with his health and legal prospects both in question—and his supporters vowing to keep his cause alive, whatever the courts may decide.
The coming months will test both Brazil’s democratic institutions and its diplomatic agility. For now, the world watches as the country attempts to reconcile accountability, sovereignty, and the enduring passions of its political life.