Brazil's Supreme Court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving his 27-year prison sentence for plotting a military coup to overturn the country's 2022 election.
The big picture: Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes requested that his order be finalized, preventing Bolsonaro from filing any further appeals to overturn the ruling.
Yes, but: Bolsonaro's attorney, Paulo Cunha Bueno said on X that Bolsonaro will still plan to file an appeal, arguing that the court's own rules allow for a final challenge because the Supreme Court decision wasn't unanimous.
Context: The former president and Trump ally, who was ordered to be placed under house arrest in August, refused to concede the 2022 election to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as his supporters stormed the presidential palace and other government buildings in January 2023.
- Bolsonaro was banned from running for office for eight years by Brazil's highest election court in 2023 after he spread baseless claims that Brazil's electronic voting system could be rigged against him.
Of note: President Trump previously threatened to impose sanctions on Brazilian goods unless the country dropped the criminal charges against his ally.
Go deeper: U.S. sanctions Brazilian judge overseeing Bolsonaro case, alleging "rights abuse"
