
Audio By Carbonatix
Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered that right-wing former president Jair Bolsonaro begin serving his prison sentence of 27 years and three months for plotting a coup after he lost the last election.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday ruled that the case had reached its final judgment and that no further appeals were possible.
Bolsonaro, 70, was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
He will begin serving his sentence in a federal police jail cell in the capital, Brasilia, where he has been detained since Saturday after being deemed a flight risk and removed from home detention.
At a hearing on Sunday, Bolsonaro admitted trying to open his ankle monitor with a soldering iron until he "came to his senses", court documents show.
He said he had had no intention of fleeing and blamed medicine-induced "paranoia" for damage he caused to the monitor.
Justice Moraes on Tuesday mandated that full-time medical care be given to Bolsonaro, whose medical team has previously said he is suffering from worsening health.
Supreme Court justices said in September, when Bolsonaro was found guilty of plotting a coup, that he had known of plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Moraes, who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.
The conspiracy failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a week later, on 8 January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília. The security forces intervened and about 1,500 people were arrested.
The justices found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro, whose plan, they said, was for the military to step in and return him to power.
Bolsonaro was also barred from running for public office until 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.
The former president called the trial a "witch hunt" designed to prevent him running in the 2026 presidential election.
Justice Moraes also ordered on Tuesday that others found guilty of being Bolsonaro's co-conspirators must begin their sentences.
They include Gen Augusto Heleno, former minister for institutional security, and Gen Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, former defence minister.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana, not South Africa, moved to defer Ramaphosa visit over Xenophobic attacks — Cables back Govt account
3 minutes -
$350m worth of cocaine intercepted at Pedu Junction destroyed, suspects still before court – Muntaka
31 minutes -
UNIMAC appoints Ernest Ofori Sarpong as First Chancellor
35 minutes -
Dynamic Data Solutions and eSentire announce partnership to strengthen cyber resilience across Africa
38 minutes -
Ghana-South Africa relations remain cordial despite xenophobia concerns – Felix Kwakye Ofosu
44 minutes -
Gold Fields Tarkwa lease: Private citizen petitions Council of State to reject calls for non-renewal
45 minutes -
IPR Ghana unveils month-long programme to spotlight strategic communication
49 minutes -
Non-standard food measurement units still widespread in Ghana – GSS survey
52 minutes -
South Africa dispels diplomatic rift with Ghana over Ramaphosa visit
55 minutes -
The Conversion Gap: The most valuable data in your business is the ‘No’ nobody wrote down
58 minutes -
TTH’s Cardiology Centre on track for August completion as Ghana Medical Trust Fund inspects project
1 hour -
Yango Ride introduces passenger completed account badge to strengthen trust between drivers and customers
1 hour -
IJM, NCCE sign MoU to strengthen public education on child protection
1 hour -
Men in Yellow: The futile search for Jogo Bonito
1 hour -
Ghana-SA relations remain cordial, Ramaphosa will visit when xenophobic tensions ease – Kwakye Ofosu
1 hour