Brazil’s Supreme Court has definitively upheld a 27-year prison sentence for former President jair Bolsonaro, escalating a political and legal saga that has gripped the nation as his 2022 election defeat [[1]]. The conviction stems from charges of undermining Brazil’s democratic institutions and inciting the January 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings in Brasília-events often compared to the U.S. Capitol riot. Bolsonaro’s defense has ceased further appeals, solidifying the sentence as final, though his legal team is now seeking humanitarian grounds for continued house arrest citing health concerns [[2]].
Brazil’s Supreme Court has upheld a 27-year prison sentence for former President Jair Bolsonaro on charges of undermining the country’s democratic institutions. The ruling comes as Bolsonaro faces increasing legal scrutiny following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election.
The court confirmed the sentence after Bolsonaro’s defense team formally abandoned further appeals, having previously lost initial challenges unanimously by the four members of the First Panel responsible for the case.
The decision was announced four days after Bolsonaro, who had been under house arrest for violating court-imposed restrictions, was transferred to the custody of the Federal Police. His transfer followed an attempt to tamper with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet used to track his movements.
Condena a Jair Bolsonaro
The court will now determine where Bolsonaro will serve his sentence. Legal sources suggest he could remain at the Federal Police headquarters, where he is currently being held in a small, 12-square-meter room, or be transferred to a special cell at the Papuda Penitentiary Complex in Brasilia.
The Supreme Court’s ruling also extends to two other individuals convicted in connection with attempts to prevent the inauguration of current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after his October 2022 victory over Bolsonaro.
Those individuals are Congressman Alexandre Ramagem, sentenced to 16 years, who fled to the United States two months ago, and Anderson Torres, a former Minister of Justice, who received a 24-year sentence.
#ÚLTIMAHORA | La Corte Suprema de Brasil declara en firme la sentencia a 27 años de cárcel contra el expresidente Jair Bolsonaro por golpismo. pic.twitter.com/KKr0BsY8Pn
— EFE Noticias (@EFEnoticias) November 25, 2025
Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, told a judge on Sunday that his attempt to damage the electronic ankle monitor was not an effort to escape.
The former president attributed the incident to “paranoia” and “hallucinations” caused by medication he is taking for depression and other health issues.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro has been dealing with health problems, including anxiety, hiccups, and vomiting, all of which he attributes to a serious stabbing he suffered during the 2018 election campaign. He has undergone multiple surgeries as a result of the attack.
Due to his age and fragile health, Bolsonaro’s lawyers have indicated they will again request house arrest, citing “humanitarian” reasons, should the sentence be finalized. The case underscores the ongoing political and legal battles surrounding Bolsonaro following his departure from office.
