Brazil’s Supreme Court Orders Jair Bolsonaro to Begin 27-Year Prison Sentence

Washington, Nov 2025 : Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to start serving a 27-year prison sentence following his conviction for attempting to retain power after losing the 2022 presidential election.

The ruling came on Tuesday when the court rejected an appeal from Bolsonaro’s lawyers challenging the sentence and directed him to serve his term at a federal police facility in Brasília, where he is already in custody.

Bolsonaro was arrested on Saturday after authorities reported that he had tampered with his ankle monitor during house arrest. He claimed that side effects from his medications caused “hallucinations” and “paranoia,” and that he feared the monitor could be used to spy on him.

His legal team had requested that he serve the sentence at home, citing ongoing health issues from a 2018 stabbing attack. However, the Supreme Court denied the request in light of the ankle monitor incident. Bolsonaro’s lawyers plan to submit medical evidence again once he begins serving the sentence in the federal facility.

In September, the Supreme Court convicted Bolsonaro along with seven of his allies for plotting to overturn the 2022 election results and to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva before he took office. Prosecutors detailed months of efforts by Bolsonaro and his inner circle to undermine public confidence in Brazil’s electoral system. Following a narrow electoral loss, they allegedly sought to remain in power through unconstitutional measures.

The conspiracy reportedly included plans to dissolve the Supreme Court, annul election outcomes, and grant the military extensive authority. Bolsonaro had been under house arrest since August, closely monitored by police due to concerns over flight risk.

The arrest drew international attention, including comments from US President Donald Trump, a political ally of Bolsonaro, who said on Saturday, “That’s too bad,” declining further comment.

The situation also briefly strained US-Brazil relations, as the United States considered imposing tariffs of up to 50% on select Brazilian imports to push for Bolsonaro’s exoneration. In recent days, however, the Trump administration eased some of the pressure, granting additional tariff exemptions and resuming dialogue with the Brazilian government.

Bolsonaro’s imprisonment marks a major political and legal turning point in Brazil, highlighting the consequences for attempts to subvert democratic processes and underscoring the ongoing scrutiny of former leaders’ actions in the country’s post-election landscape.