By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered to begin serving his 27-year sentence in a police base after being convicted of plotting a coup. The Supreme Court found Bolsonaro guilty of leading a conspiracy to prevent his left-wing rival from taking power, which involved a failed plot to assassinate the incoming president. Bolsonaro’s co-conspirators, including former ministers and military officials, were also ordered to start their sentences, with some already in custody. While Bolsonaro’s incarceration sparked mixed reactions, with both jubilation and condemnation, experts suggest his influence has significantly waned, and mass protests have not materialized.
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Jair Bolsonaro ordered to start 27-year prison term for plotting Brazil coup. That’s the headline, and it’s a doozy. It looks like the former Brazilian president is finally paying the price for his actions, specifically for orchestrating a plan to undermine his left-wing rival and, essentially, hijack the democratic process.
This whole saga reads like a thriller, and the details are pretty wild. The plot, as it’s been revealed, involved a plan to remove Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from power, which reportedly included the assassination of both Lula and his running mate. But things quickly went south when key military figures refused to play along. The courts got involved, found Bolsonaro guilty, and now he’s facing a lengthy prison sentence.
Apparently, Bolsonaro has been under house arrest, and this past weekend, he made a clumsy attempt to remove his ankle monitor with a soldering iron. This attempt failed. Now, he’s in preventive custody, and has been ordered to serve his 27-year sentence, which is going to be served in a rather small, 12 square meter bedroom in a police base. That’s a serious sentence for attempting to dismantle a democracy.
And, as if this wasn’t enough, there’s even talk of a clandestine attempt to get him out of the country. Apparently, Trump was involved in some effort to spirit Bolsonaro away to the United States. He even made a slip of the tongue during an impromptu interview when he mentioned he expected to see Bolsonaro “very soon,” only to then look surprised when he learned that Bolsonaro had been arrested.
This whole situation is a stark reminder of the importance of the rule of law. It’s truly a fascinating thing to observe a South American country acting in a more decisive way than the United States, given our recent political turmoil. The contrast is definitely something to contemplate. It’s a reminder of the power of accountability.
The story also brings up the inevitable comparison to the US. It’s hard not to think about the situation here in America and the question of whether similar actions would result in similar consequences. It’s also hard to ignore the potential for political motivations to influence the investigation of criminal behaviour.
Ultimately, this is a moment where the world’s watching. It’s a test of Brazil’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law. It’s a long sentence, and the question now is whether the punishment will fit the crime, and whether Bolsonaro’s allies will be held accountable as well. It’s a complex situation with a lot of moving parts. But one thing is for sure: this is a major development in the ongoing saga of Brazilian politics.