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Brazil’s Top Court Jails Seven Over Bolsonaro-Linked Plot to Undermine Election

The rulings target coordinated “digital militias” accused of fabricating narratives to destabilize the 2022 vote.

Overview

  • Brazil’s Supreme Court convicted seven defendants in a 4–1 vote, with Justice Luiz Fux the lone dissenter.
  • Those found guilty include five military officers, a federal police officer and the head of Instituto Voto Legal for spreading false claims and manipulating reports.
  • Sentences range from 7.5 to 17 years in prison, with Ángelo Denicoli receiving 17 years and Carlos César Rocha getting seven and a half years and a fine.
  • Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the group orchestrated disinformation through “digital militias,” describing social media misuse as an instrument of aggression against democracy.
  • The court will publish its full reasoning within 60 days before a five-day appeal window, with decisions on 16 more defendants pending and Bolsonaro already sentenced to 27 years.