Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro moved into the verdict and sentencing stage Tuesday in the Supreme Federal Court in Brasilia. At the same time, Congress is fast-tracking an amnesty bill that could clear him of charges tied to an attempted coup and allow him to run for office in 2026.
The court has scheduled four consecutive sessions from Sept. 9 to 12 for the five justices of its First Panel to cast their votes. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, is to deliver the first opinion. A simple majority of three of the five votes is required for a conviction.
The former president faces five criminal charges that carry a maximum sentence of 43 years in prison: attempt to abolish the democratic rule of law by force, coup plotting, membership in an armed criminal organization, damage to government property and destruction of protected property.
Brazil's Prosecutor General's Office has formally requested convictions for all eight defendants in the case, arguing that Bolsonaro led "a criminal organization structured to prevent the will of the people expressed in the 2022 elections from being carried out."
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