15 September 2025
Bolsonaro’s Conviction
Last week, former president Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced by the Brazilian Supreme Court to 27 years in prison for orchestrating a conspiracy to stay in power after losing the 2022 election. Some high-ranking military officers involved in the plot also received lighter sentences. Brazil could serve as a lesson to the world about combating authoritarian populism, but the expectation that the decision will restrain the military should be treated with caution. Continue reading >>
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22 September 2022
The Armed Forces and the Constitution in Brazil
The Armed Forces are back in power in Brazil. This time, differently from 1937 and 1964, it happened through elections. As one of the main supporting groups behind Jair Bolsonaro’s electoral victory in 2018, the military’s role in his government continued to grow. I argue that, firstly, the text addressing the military functions in the Constitution of 1988 repeats the same mistakes made by past Brazilian constitutions; and secondly, that the South American countries’ constitutional framework points out attractive alternative constitutional design options on the topic. Continue reading >>
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