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Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro found guilty of attempting coup

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Bolsonaro, who is being held in house arrest, has been declared a flight risk © Diego Herculano/REUTERS

The majority of a panel of Supreme Court justices voted to convict the far-right former Brazilian leader of trying to overturn his election defeat to Lula da Silva in 2022. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

A panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices on Thursday reached the majority of votes needed to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of plotting a coup in 2022 after he lost the presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The right-wing populist was found guilty after three out of five Supreme Court justices voted to convict.

The court later sentenced him to 27 years in prison.

Justice Carmen Lucia, who issued the decisive third vote, framed the case as a “meeting between Brazil and its past, its present, and its future,” referring to previous attempts to overthrow democracy in the country’s history.

Lucia said there was enough evidence to demonstrate that Bolsonaro acted “with the purpose of eroding democracy and institutions.”

The judges voted to convict Bolsonaro of taking part in an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, organizing a coup, and damaging government property and protected cultural assets.

The conviction will become final after the fifth judge, Lula’s former lawyer Cristiano Zanin, casts a vote. One judge has already voted to acquit.

What do we know about the charges against Bolsonaro?

On January 8, 2023, Bolsonaro supporters stormed several government buildings in the capital, Brasilia, just days after Lula’s inauguration.

In July, Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet said that Bolsonaro and seven others had taken part in an “armed criminal association” that sought to “violently overthrow the democratic order.”

The proceedings mark the first trial of a former Brazilian president on coup charges.

Case stokes divison

Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest, with Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes declaring him a “flight risk” late last month.

He remains a popular political figure in Brazil. On Sunday, tens of thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters rallied in cities across the country.

Thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters rallied in Sao Paulo on Sunday
© Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images

 

The case against Bolsonaro has also inflamed tensions between the US and Brazil, with US President Donald Trump denouncing the case against his Brazilian ally as a “witch hunt” and imposing a 50% tariff on various Brazilian goods.

Brazilian President Lula has condemned Trump’s interference in the Brazilian legal system, calling it “unacceptable” and an attempt to undermine Brazil’s sovereignty.

Trump has faced similar charges of attempting to overturn election results after his own failed 2020 presidential bid.

Bolsonaro’s supporters see the charges against him as politicized and have welcomed Trump’s support.

Trump on Thursday called Bolsonaro’s coup conviction “very surprising.”

Edited by: Louis Oelofse

Author: Wesley Rahn (with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters), Saim Dušan Inayatullah

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‘It’s a Lie’ —Akpabio denies claims he collapsed, hospitalised in London

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Nigeria’s 10th Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, dismissed claims that he collapsed and was flown to a hospital in London for treatment.

Kenny Okolugbo, Consultant on Communications and Strategy to the Senate President, said the claim about Akpabio’s health wealth was false.

When contacted by Ekwutosblog on the development, Okolugbo simply said, “It’s a lie, fake news,” without further details.

This comes amid a report on Monday by an online news platform that alleged the Senate president collapsed and was flown on a private jet to London for treatment.

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PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES SENATOR IFEANYI ARARUME ON HIS BIRTHDAY

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President Bola Tinubu felicitates Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume, astute politician and accomplished businessman, on his birthday, December 16.

Senator Ararume’s odyssey in politics began in the late 1980s, when he served as the State Treasurer of the Liberal Convention in old Imo State. He later joined the National Finance Committee of the defunct National Republican Convention.

He represented Imo North in the 9th National Assembly. He was first elected in May 1999 and re-elected in April 2003. He also served on several committees and held other official roles.

President Tinubu commends the former senator for his years of service to the nation and contributions to its peace, unity, and progress.

The President describes Senator Ararume as a resolute and shrewd politician, highlighting his courageous and remarkable political journey through the years.

President Tinubu wishes Senator Ararume a happy 67th birthday and prays that God Almighty will grant him more years of good health and strength.

 

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Daddy Freeze hosts actress Doris Ogala as she opens up on alleged relationship with Pastor Chris Okafor

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Daddy Freeze went live with Nollywood actress Doris Ogala as she shared her side of the ongoing controversy involving Pastor Chris Okafor, whom she claims she dated for years before things fell apart.

According to Doris, her relationship with Pastor Chris began in 2017, long before the public drama. She said they met by chance in Abuja and that he told her he was divorced at the time. She also claimed she didn’t even know he was a pastor when they first connected.

Doris said their relationship quickly became serious. She alleged that Pastor Chris introduced her to his parents, invited her to his village in Anambra State, and treated the relationship like a real commitment. She described their bond as emotional, physical, and deeply personal, insisting it was genuine love, not a casual affair.

She further claimed that while Pastor Chris preached publicly, he was privately very dependent on her, calling her often, sharing personal struggles, and even relying on her for medical prescriptions through her doctor.

Addressing why she later married another man, Doris said family pressure played a major role. She explained that her eventual husband was someone from her past who resurfaced during a vulnerable period after her father’s death. Despite not being in love, she said her family pushed her into the marriage.

Doris admitted that while her marriage was ongoing, she remained emotionally connected to Pastor Chris. She openly acknowledged engaging in phone intimacy with him during that period but maintained that there was no physical sexual relationship between them while she was married.

She described her marriage as abusive and toxic, alleging repeated physical violence and emotional distress. According to her, Pastor Chris remained her emotional support during that time, which is why communication between them never completely stopped.

Doris also claimed she has evidence to back up her story, including chats and videos, which she says Pastor Chris later shared with his lawyers.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSUdp3OjZll/?igsh=OTR2MjZlOG1rbWQy

 

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