Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison after the Brazilian Supreme Court found him guilty of leading a failed coup plot to remain in power following his 2022 election loss to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Four of the five justices on the panel voted to convict him, while one dissented, making Bolsonaro the first ex-president in Brazil’s history to be jailed for attempting to undermine democracy.
The court concluded that Bolsonaro orchestrated efforts to overturn the election, which culminated in the January 8, 2023 storming of government buildings by his supporters, though the scheme ultimately failed to secure military backing. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing, calling the case a politically motivated “witch hunt.” His lawyers are expected to appeal.
Throughout history, coups have dramatically altered the course of entire nations. Governments have been toppled, military leaders have risen to power, and societies have been reshaped for generations. Each coup has been a unique struggle in itself, and is a reflection of the political chaos that tends to create such extreme measures.
While some coups are seen as necessary interventions to restore stability, others have become synonymous with oppression, bloodshed, and the lost ideals of democracy. Coups are not undertaken lightly, and they can define a nation’s entire future.
Intrigued? Click on to see which coups throughout history have been the most renowned.