Bolsonaro's defense will appeal the sentence

Watch the liveblog about Jair Bolsonaro's trial here

Jair Bolsonaro's defense announced on Thursday that it intends to appeal, "including at the international level," the former Brazilian president's sentence of more than 27 years in prison for attempted coup d'état.

“The defense understands that the sentences imposed are absurdly excessive and disproportionate and, after analyzing the terms of the ruling, will file the appropriate appeals, including at the international level,” reads a statement signed by lawyers Celso Vilardi and Paulo Amador da Cunha Bueno.

Despite assuring that they respect the decision of the First Chamber of the Supreme Federal Court, the lawyers reiterate “that the former president did not attempt against the Democratic State, never participated in any plan, much less in the acts that occurred on January 8, 2023.”

The defense also insisted on the arguments that the former president should have been tried by the first instance or by the plenary of the Supreme Federal Court and “that the lack of time to analyze the evidence prevented the defense from being definitively tried”.

Before the lawyers' statement was released, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president's eldest son, said his father's trial was a "farce" and promised that his supporters would "fight until the end."

"The message I want to leave here now, after going through these moments, now, with President Bolsonaro, is a message from him to the entire population," the senator told the press, at the door of the condominium in Brasília, where his father is under house arrest for having failed to comply with imposed precautionary measures.

"The least we demand is that Alexandre de Moraes return everything he took from Bolsonaro and the right. Peace will only come with full amnesty—criminal, administrative, and electoral," he declared, referring both to the reporting judge in the case and to the amnesty that Bolsonaro-supporting lawmakers will seek to push through the Brazilian Congress.

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court sentenced Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and 3 months in prison on Thursday, after the First Chamber of the Supreme Federal Court formed a majority to convict the former president of violently attempting to abolish the Democratic Rule of Law, a coup d'état, participation in an armed criminal organization, qualified damage and deterioration of property.

Bolsonaro was also found guilty of leading the organization that was judged criminal.

Judges Flávio Dino, Cármen Lúcia and Cristiano Zanin, who had voted to convict Bolsonaro, supported Alexandre de Moraes' proposal.

In addition to Jair Bolsonaro, federal deputy Alexandre Ramagem, Admiral Almir Garnier Santos, former Navy commander, former Minister of Justice Anderson Torres, retired general and former head of the Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic, Augusto Heleno, lieutenant colonel and former aide-de-camp to Bolsonaro, Mauro Cid, general and former Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, and retired general and former Chief of Staff, Walter Braga Neto, were convicted.

The only dissenting vote among the panel of judges was that of Luiz Fux, who acquitted Bolsonaro of all charges because, in his opinion, there was insufficient evidence.

Entry into prison will not be automatic, as there is still room for some appeals.

After the judgment is published, the defense and prosecution may file a motion for clarification within five days to correct any contradictions or omissions. These appeals can drag out the proceedings for weeks or months.