Brazilians react to Supreme Court ruling against former president Jair Bolsonaro

Brazil’s top court ruling against former president Jair Bolsonaro drew various reactions across Brazilian cities on Friday.

Live samba music, flags and banners denouncing Jair Bolsonaro. Opponents of the former Brazilian president celebrated across the country on Friday after the Supreme Court sentenced him to 27 years in prison for attempting a military coup to stay in power. 

Others expressed their grievance towards the Justices’ decision and a group of Bolsonaro’s supporters held a vigil outside his house in Brasilia, where he is under house arrest.

Four of the five Supreme Court justices reviewing the case found Bolsonaro guilty on five counts, in a ruling that will deepen political divisions.

The five counts are: 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; participating in an armed criminal organization; attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law; damage qualified by violence; and deterioration of listed heritage.

“Even those who defend a decent right-wing should take to the streets to celebrate,” said Ricardo Luz, 47, a Bolsonaro opponent and mechanical engineer. “After all, we’re consigning the far right to the dustbin of history, from where they should never have left.”

Bolsonaro is the first former Brazilian president to be convicted of attempting a coup.

The 70-year-old, who has always denied any wrongdoing, can try to appeal the ruling.

The sentence doesn’t mean Bolsonaro will immediately go to prison. The court panel has now up to 60 days to publish the ruling. Once it does, Bolsonaro’s lawyers have five days to file motions for clarification.