Bolsonaro's impeachment trial reaches its conclusion with Trump observing

In the heart of Brazil's political landscape, the country's Supreme Court is preparing to deliver a landmark verdict in a case involving former President Jair Bolsonaro. The trial, which has been shrouded in controversy and political unrest, is set to begin on Tuesday.

The case stems from allegations of a plot by Bolsonaro to regain power after a 2022 election defeat. This trial is symbolic for a country that was rocked by thousands of Bolsonaro supporters storming the Supreme Court, presidential palace, and parliament buildings on January 8, 2023.

Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest with round-the-clock surveillance and an electronic bracelet, faces charges alongside seven co-accused. If found guilty, he would join the ranks of four of the last seven occupants of Brazil's Planalto presidential palace who have been convicted, jailed, or impeached.

The trial's presiding judge, Alexandre de Moraes, will start summarising the evidence in the case. Prosecutors maintain that Bolsonaro was aware of plans to assassinate former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and judge Alexandre de Moraes as part of the plot.

The verdict will be decided by Moraes and four other judges, who will vote one by one to convict or acquit. A simple majority of three "yes" votes are needed for a verdict in the first-ever coup trial for a former leader of Brazil.

The trial has caused a diplomatic rift with the Trump administration, which has imposed a 50 percent tariff on a variety of exports from Brazil and sanctioned judge Alexandre de Moraes. The case has also elicited strong opinions in deeply divided Brazil, with some hailing it as a defense of democratic norms while others denounce it as a political show trial.

If found guilty, Bolsonaro risks about 40 years in prison, which may end any hopes he had of making a political comeback. In the event of a guilty verdict, Bolsonaro could be sent to prison immediately but has the option to appeal.

Meanwhile, Lula, one of the last seven occupants of the Planalto presidential palace, has expressed his intention to seek another term in elections next year. Lula, who was imprisoned for 580 days in 2018 and 2019 on a corruption conviction later overturned for procedural errors, is expected to closely follow the final phase of the trial from home.

Security around the court will be reinforced in the coming days as the nation awaits the verdict with bated breath. The closing speech in the court case against Jair Bolsonaro will be held by the Chief Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Thursday, March 30. The trial's proceedings, spread out over five days from March 28 to September 12, will come to a climactic end soon.