A 51-year-old supporter of Brazil’s ex-president Jair Bolsonaro became the first to be sentenced by the South American country’s highest court for the storming of the Congress building on January 8 this year.
The man is sentenced to 17 years in prison, among other things for attempted coup d’état and for causing damage to a historic building.
The man was arrested in connection with thousands of supporters of the right-wing nationalist ex-president Jair Bolsonaro entering the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court. The perpetrators smashed windows and furniture, destroyed works of art and scrawled messages calling for a military coup.
The anger of the Bolsonaro supporters was great that Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly won the presidential election in October 2022 – but according to the perpetrators of violence on January 8, the election was rigged.
In total, the court is considering bringing 232 people to trial for the riots.
The convicted man denies that he has done anything criminal but claims that he participated in a peaceful demonstration together with unarmed people.