Bolsonaro Appeals 27-Year Prison Sentence for Coup Attempt

Former Brazilian President Challenges Conviction

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's legal team has formally appealed his 27-year prison sentence for orchestrating a coup attempt following his 2022 election defeat. The appeal, filed on October 27, 2025, challenges the Supreme Court's September verdict that found Bolsonaro guilty of five crimes including participating in an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, and organizing a coup.

Legal Battle Intensifies

In an 85-page motion, Bolsonaro's lawyers argued that the Supreme Court's decision contains 'ambiguities, omissions, contradictions and obscurities' that warrant reconsideration. The legal team had previously announced their intention to appeal immediately after the September 11 conviction.

The coup plot, which prosecutors say included plans to assassinate current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, allegedly failed only due to lack of military support. 'This was a coordinated effort to undermine Brazil's democratic institutions,' said prosecutor Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima in court documents obtained by Reuters.

House Arrest Continues

The 70-year-old former president remains under house arrest in Brasília while the appeal process unfolds. Supreme Court judges have no specific deadline to examine the appeal arguments, and Bolsonaro cannot be imprisoned until all legal remedies are exhausted.

Bolsonaro's health conditions, including a recent skin cancer diagnosis and complications from a 2018 stabbing, could potentially allow him to request serving his sentence under house arrest if the conviction is upheld. 'His medical condition requires continuous monitoring,' stated his physician Dr. Antonio Luiz Macedo in medical reports cited by Le Monde.

Political Fallout

The conviction stems from the January 8, 2023 attacks when approximately 5,000 Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalized Brazil's Supreme Court, National Congress, and Presidential Palace, seeking to overturn Lula's election victory. The violence resulted in over 80 injuries and R$16 million in property damage according to Wikipedia.

Political analyst Maria Silva commented: 'This appeal represents the next chapter in Brazil's ongoing democratic crisis. The outcome will have profound implications for the country's political stability and the rule of law.'

Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil's 38th president from 2019-2023, remains disqualified from seeking public office until 2030 due to previous electoral court rulings regarding his unfounded fraud allegations against Brazil's voting system.