Brazil’s highest court has convicted Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, to four years and two months in prison for attempting to coerce the US government into interfering with his father’s legal proceedings. The ruling was delivered in absentia, as the younger Bolsonaro has resided in the United States since last year.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision found the former lawmaker guilty of judicial coercion and engaging in unauthorized lobbying activities. According to prosecutors, Eduardo Bolsonaro sought to enlist the Trump administration’s support to block his father’s conviction by threatening economic measures against Brazil.
The sentence also includes an eight-year ban from holding public office, effective after the prison term is served.
In response, Eduardo Bolsonaro dismissed the verdict as a political maneuver, asserting on social media that he was never formally notified of the trial and learned of the outcome through news reports. “A sentence that disregards due process is invalid. The true goal of this farce is to eliminate my candidacy,” he wrote.
His father, the former far-right leader, received a 27-year prison sentence last year for attempting to dismantle democratic institutions and leading a criminal conspiracy tied to an election overthrow plot after his 2022 defeat.
The case unfolded against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Brazil and the US, with the Trump administration imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in mid-2025. At the time, President Trump demanded Brazil halt the elder Bolsonaro’s trial, labeling it a politically motivated attack.
Jair Bolsonaro continues to face numerous corruption probes and was previously fined by Brazil’s electoral court for filing a baseless lawsuit challenging election results. The legal setbacks could bar him from competing in the 2026 presidential race.