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Bolsonaro’s lawyers request acquittal in alleged coup attempt trial
Lawyers for former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro have formally requested his acquittal in the ongoing trial before the Supreme Court, where he is accused of orchestrating an attempted coup following his electoral defeat in 2022.
In a detailed 197-page defense submitted on Wednesday, Bolsonaro’s legal team claimed the former leader was "innocent of all charges" and argued that "a complete lack of evidence" had already been "demonstrated." Bolsonaro, 70, led Brazil from 2019 to 2022 and remains a prominent figure in the country’s conservative movement.
He stands trial alongside seven former aides, all accused of plotting to keep him in power by undemocratic means after losing to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in October 2022. The charges stem in part from the events of January 8, 2023, when thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed key government buildings in Brasília, falsely alleging election fraud and calling for military intervention.
In a June hearing, Bolsonaro denied any involvement, telling the court that "a coup is an abomination." If found guilty, he could face up to 40 years in prison.
Earlier this month, before a verdict was reached, Bolsonaro was placed under house arrest in Brasília for violating a court order that banned him from using social media to comment on ongoing legal matters.
Though he has already been declared ineligible to run for office until 2030 due to past attacks on Brazil’s electronic voting system, Bolsonaro has expressed hopes of returning to the political scene in time for the 2026 presidential election.