Brazil’s Supreme Court has opened deliberations in the landmark trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of conspiring to stage a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

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A five-justice panel began voting on Tuesday and has until the end of the week to reach a verdict. By the first day, both Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who heads the panel, and Justice Flavio Dino had voted to convict.

Bolsonaro, a 70-year-old former army officer, faces up to 43 years in prison if found guilty. Seven co-defendants, including former ministers and army generals, face similar charges. The accusations include forming an armed criminal organization, attempting to abolish democracy by force, plotting a coup d’état, and damaging government and cultural property. Bolsonaro has denied all charges.

In court, Moraes stated: “There is no doubt … there was an attempt to abolish the democratic rule of law, that there was an attempted coup, and that there was a criminal organisation that caused damage to public property.” He cited evidence of plans to assassinate Lula, including a document discovered at government headquarters.

The case marks the first trial of a Brazilian head of state on coup charges, seen by many as a measure of democratic resilience four decades after military rule. Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters demonstrated in several cities on Sunday, rejecting the proceedings as a “disgrace” and thanking former U.S. President Donald Trump for his intervention.

Bolsonaro remains under house arrest in Brasília, with lawyers citing health problems linked to a 2018 stabbing. His allies in Congress are pressing for an amnesty law that could block his imprisonment. São Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, a close ally and potential 2026 presidential candidate, said there were “more than enough votes” for the measure.

The United States has also intervened. Trump, a political ally of Bolsonaro, called the case a “witch hunt.” The U.S. government imposed financial sanctions on Justice Moraes and a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports. Moraes responded that the court would not yield to “internal or external threats and coercion,” vowing to remain “absolutely inflexible in defending national sovereignty.”

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