Brazil’s Federal Regional Criminal Execution Court (VEP) announced on Tuesday evening that former President Jair Bolsonaro, known for his conservative views, is set to finish his 27-year, three-month prison term on November 4, 2052.
According to the Brazilian news agency “Agência Brasil,” they reported that the VEP has submitted the official sentencing calculation certificate to Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) judge Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the trial pertaining to the alleged “coup” plot against Bolsonaro.
In September, De Moraes, along with other STF judges, convicted Bolsonaro of several “crimes against democracy,” finding him guilty of collaborating with over 30 accomplices in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election.
At 70 years old, Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison following the conclusion of formal court proceedings in late November. He has been in detention at the Federal Police Regional Inspectorate in Brasilia since then due to a tampering scandal involving an electronic ankle bracelet.
The VEP’s sentencing certificate indicates that Bolsonaro may enter a semi-open detention system on April 23, 2033, with a potential parole date set for March 13, 2037. This calculation considers the time he spent under strict house arrest.
“Legal provisions, like educational programs while incarcerated, could further impact his eligibility for early release,” noted Agência Brasil.
As reported by Brazilian outlet “Metropoles,” the country’s criminal law states that without a court order based on humanitarian grounds, a convicted person can only advance to a semi-open prison setting if both “objective” criteria, such as minimum time served, and “subjective” criteria, like good conduct, are satisfied.
The VEP’s ruling mentioned that “information in this certificate came from a computerized system relying on criminal records. However, this could change, and benefits are not guaranteed automatically; each case undergoes a procedural assessment.”
As of now, Brazil’s Supreme Court has not determined where Bolsonaro will serve his sentence. Judge Alexandre de Moraes denied a request from Bolsonaro’s lawyers for house arrest, citing health issues and a skin cancer diagnosis. Additionally, his legal team filed a new appeal following the conviction last week.
CNN Brazil reported that Bolsonaro stated in November that he was found guilty by Brazil’s Supreme Court and will be barred from politics for an additional eight years after completing his sentence. If he serves the full 27 years, he could potentially run for president again in 2060, which seems quite unreal considering he would be 105 years old, assuming he’s still here.
