Brazil publishes Bolsonaro's conviction for coup attempt, starting the appeals clock

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday published the ruling convicting former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup, starting the clock for filing any appeals.

Judges in September convicted Bolsonaro of trying to overthrow democracy and sentenced him to 27 years and three months in prison. He has been under house arrest since August.

Bolsonaro’s lawyers have said they will try to appeal the conviction and sentence before the full Supreme Court of 11 justices. Some experts say it’s unlikely to be accepted.

The far-right politician Bolsonaro has always denied wrongdoing. He was convicted of attempting a coup after losing the 2022 race to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a plot that prosecutors alleged included plans to kill Lula. He was found guilty on other charges including participating in an armed criminal organization and attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.

The trial made global headlines. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods and cited in part Bolsonaro’s case, which he called a “witch hunt.”

That triggered a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Brazil relations, which experts described as the lowest point in their more than 200-year history.

Relations have improved. Lula and Trump spoke on the phone and may meet this weekend in Malaysia at the ASEAN summit.

Bolsonaro’s co-conspirators, all of them former officials, were also sentenced for their roles in the attempted coup.

Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, said he expected the case to be wrapped up and the sentences to be enforced by the end of the year, even if that means Bolsonaro continues under house arrest.

Bolsonaro, 70, has been in and out of hospitals since he was stabbed at a campaign event before Brazil’s 2018 presidential election, which he went on to win.

“Bolsonaro is unlikely to be sent to prison because of his health issues,” Bottino said.