Brazil’s Supreme Court on Thursday ‍found ⁤former ‌President Jair Bolsonaro guilty​ of ⁤conspiracies related to his failed 2022 reelection bid. The court found that Bolsonaro tried to instigate a ⁤military coup and to poison his opponent, current President Luiz inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, ⁣the​ former president of Latin America’s‌ largest democracy and its wealthiest country, was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison and is barred from ever seeking public office again.

Bolsonaro ⁤is one among ⁣two dozen elected presidents and prime ministers in recent‌ history around the world⁤ who​ used their time in office to undermine their countries’ democratic institutions. In addition to⁤ undermining confidence in elections, the Brazilian leader weakened public and scientific ⁢ institutions by defunding them. Bolsonaro’s family and political ‍associates faced repeated scandals. As a consequence, the president governed in constant fear of impeachment⁣ -‍ a ⁤fate ​that had ended the ‍careers of two prior Brazilian presidents⁣ since the country’s return ⁤to‌ democracy in 1998. To avoid this outcome, Bolsonaro forged alliances with⁢ an array of legislative parties and strange bedfellows. Brazilian political scientists ‌describe ⁣the implicit agreement: “The deal is simple: you protect ‍me⁢ and I let you ⁤run the Country and‌ extract rents ‌from it as you wish.”

curiously,​ the⁣ decision⁤ is also a setback for President Trump here in the united States.⁢ Trump views Bolsonaro as an ally ​who, like him, has been⁣ persecuted by leftists and subjected to⁢ retribution by courts. The American president tried hard to stop the Brazilian court⁣ from ruling against‌ Bolsonaro. In