The final stage of Jair Bolsonaro’s coup trial kicked off on September 2 in Brasília. After months of evidence-gathering, arguments and testimonies, the justices are expected to deliver their ruling by September 12, in what is arguably the most consequential trial in Brazil’s recent history.

At the center of the case are the riots that occurred on January 8, 2023. They looked eerily like January 6 in the United States — but worse: crowds stormed not only Congress, but also the presidential palace and the Supreme Court itself. But prosecutors say those riots were just the visible edge of something larger — a vast conspiracy to push the military into breaking democracy.

So what happens now? How will the justices rule, and what will it mean for Brazil’s fragile democracy — and its powerful military? Our guest today is Davi Tangerino. He’s a criminal lawyer and a professor at State University of Rio de Janeiro. Tangerino also served on Brazil’s National Council for Criminal and Penitentiary Policy, and helped lead the Brazilian Institute of Criminal Sciences.

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or on The Brazilian Report.

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