Lawyers for Brazil ex-president Bolsonaro request shorter sentence

Lawyers for former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Monday filed an appeal to reduce his 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup to remain in power after the 2022 presidential election.

Bolsonaro's lawyers sought a review of parts of the conviction, In an 85-page motion filed with the Supreme Court, including the prison sentence. The motion did not stipulate how much of a reduction in prison time Bolsonaro's lawyers were seeking.

Last month, four of the five judges of a Supreme Court panel voted to convict Bolsonaro of five crimes, including taking part in an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy and organizing a coup.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Typically, defendants sentenced by Brazil's Supreme Court need at least two justices to diverge on the ruling to request an appeal that could significantly change the decision.

With only one judge dissenting, Bolsonaro's lawyers filed a lesser motion that requires clarification or review of specific parts of the conviction.

"It should be noted that this motion of clarification is the only possibility of correcting errors that would otherwise become definitive," the lawyers wrote, citing what they called "deep injustices" in the conviction and its sentence.

They told the Supreme Court that Bolsonaro should not be convicted of both organizing a coup and attempting to violently abolish democracy, arguing there would be no reason for such cumulative penalties.

They also empahized that Supreme Court Judge Luiz Fux voted to acquit Bolsonaro, saying Fux's vote underscores the need for "rigorous dogmatic examination, admitting the risk of accusatory excess."

The Supreme Court panel is expected to vote on the requests from Bolsonaro's lawyers in November, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Bolsonaro will only start serving time once appeals against his sentencing are exhausted.

However, he has been under house arrest since August for allegedly courting the interference of U.S. President Donald Trump, who raised tariffs on imports of Brazilian goods to 50% and sanctioned the judge overseeing the case.

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