Brazil's Bolsonaro Admits Alternative Power Plans Denies Coup Attempt in Trial

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is on trial before Brazil's Supreme Federal Court for allegedly attempting a coup to overturn the 2022 presidential election results and remain in power. Bolsonaro denied staging a coup, asserting that while he and his aides discussed alternative options such as military deployment and suspending civil liberties, these were abandoned due to lack of opportunity or support. During the trial, Bolsonaro apologized for previous accusations against a Supreme Court justice and maintained that he never acted against the constitution. Prosecutors accuse Bolsonaro and several allies of orchestrating a plan to prevent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from assuming office, with charges including attempted coup, armed criminal organization involvement, and damage to democratic institutions, carrying potentially decades-long prison sentences. Testimonies from aides and plea bargains suggest Bolsonaro's direct involvement in drafting decrees and election fraud schemes, while Bolsonaro insists he defended constitutional order. The trial is progressing rapidly with dozens of witnesses heard, and Bolsonaro has declared his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election despite a court ruling barring him from office until 2030.