Brazil judge eases terms for Bolsonaro coup convicts
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Saturday ordered 10 people convicted in a plot to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after his 2022 election loss placed under house arrest, while authorities also captured and extradited former Federal Highway Police chief Silvinei Vasques from Paraguay after he cut off his ankle monitor and tried to flee using false documents. The article also notes that after initially denouncing the prosecutions as a 'witch hunt' and raising tariffs and sanctions over Bolsonaro’s trial, President Donald Trump has since lowered tariffs on Brazilian beef and coffee and the U.S. Treasury has lifted sanctions on de Moraes amid ongoing trade talks.
📌 Key Facts
- On Dec. 27, 2025, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered 10 already-convicted Bolsonaro coup-plot participants into house arrest, replacing prior monitoring and nightly-stay requirements.
- Former Federal Highway Police director Silvinei Vasques, convicted in the same plot, tore off his ankle monitor, drove a rental car to Paraguay, and was arrested there as he attempted to fly to El Salvador on Paraguayan documents before being extradited to Brazil Friday night.
- Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup and is currently hospitalized after double hernia surgery, while the Trump administration has shifted from tariff hikes and sanctions over his trial to lowering tariffs on key Brazilian exports and lifting sanctions on de Moraes.
📊 Relevant Data
In the 2022 Brazilian presidential election, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won with 50.9% of the vote (60,345,999 votes), while Jair Bolsonaro received 49.1% (58,206,354 votes), resulting in a narrow margin of about 2.14 million votes.
Brazil election 2022: live results as Lula beats Bolsonaro to return as president — The Guardian
On January 8, 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded Brazil's Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace in an attempt to overturn the election results, leading to over 2,000 arrests and at least 30 convictions on charges including attempted coup by mid-2023, with ongoing trials resulting in additional convictions by 2025.
Brazil police target Bolsonaro as they probe 'coup attempt' — Courthouse News Service
Brazil has not experienced a successful military coup since the end of its military dictatorship in 1985, which lasted from 1964 to 1985 and involved widespread repression and human rights abuses.
Military dictatorship in Brazil — Wikipedia
In the 2022 Brazilian election, Jair Bolsonaro received stronger support from higher-income voters, with 58% of those earning over five minimum wages voting for him compared to 38% for Lula, while Lula had 62% support among those earning up to two minimum wages.
Regionally in the 2022 election, Bolsonaro won majorities in southern states with predominantly White populations, while Lula dominated in northern states with higher non-White populations, reflecting racial and regional divides.
Racial and Regional Voting Patterns in Brazil's 2022 Election — GeoCurrents
The proposed US tariffs on Brazilian goods in 2025 could lead to a loss of over 100,000 jobs in Brazil and trim an estimated 0.2% from the country's GDP.
US tariffs on Brazilian goods: Economic consequences and dividend outlook — S&P Global
As of 2025, federal police have indicted 37 people, including Bolsonaro, in the coup plot investigation, with convictions including Bolsonaro's 27-year sentence and others ranging from 2 to 21 years.
Former Brazilian president indicted over alleged coup plot — NPR