• Bolsonaro is accused of inciting insurrection and attempting to overturn the 2022 election.
• U.S. President Trump supports Bolsonaro, labeling the trial a "witch hunt."
• The Brazilian prosecutor seeks a guilty verdict, which could lead to decades in prison for Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s chief prosecutor has sought a guilty verdict against former President Jair Bolsonaro in a significant trial. Bolsonaro is accused of attempting to incite insurrection and destabilize the democratic rule of law, following his defeat in the 2022 elections to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet stated, “The evidence is clear: the defendant acted systematically, throughout his mandate and after his defeat at the polls,” in a detailed 517-page indictment against Bolsonaro and others, including allegations of leading an armed criminal organization aimed at overthrowing the government, according to Al Jazeera, Le Monde, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied the charges, calling the trial a "witch hunt" influenced by political motives, a phrase he shares with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has spoken out in support of him. Just before Gonet submitted the closing documents on July 14, Bolsonaro stated on social media, “All the accusations are false. I never violated democracy or the constitution,” according to Al Jazeera, Le Monde, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.

If convicted, Bolsonaro faces severe penalties that could amount to 40 years in prison, particularly if found guilty of leading an armed criminal organization. His supporters, following the 2022 election, were involved in a violent insurrection at government buildings, mirroring events of the U.S. Capitol riot, as prosecutors assert that Bolsonaro and his allies attempted to undermine the electoral process, according to Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

Trump's involvement in this case includes imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports as a response to Bolsonaro's trial. He has referred to Bolsonaro as a “respected president” and criticized Brazil's legal actions against him, describing it as unfair and misrepresenting the true nature of the events surrounding the election. "Nobody is happy with what Brazil is doing because Bolsonaro was a respected president," Trump stated, highlighting the problematic dynamics of international relations during this turbulent period, according to CBS News and Le Monde.