Brazil’s Bolsonaro testifies before the Supreme Court over alleged coup plot, calls rioters 'crazy'

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro appeared before the Supreme Court for the first time Tuesday and denied participation in an alleged plot to remain in power and overturn the 2022 election result as he faces charges that could bring decades behind bars.

Many Brazilians followed the trial, which was streamed online. The country was shaken by the January 2023 riot in which the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace were ransacked. Bolsonaro said in his testimony that the rioters were “crazy," not coup mongers.

The far-right politician, appearing relaxed, and seven allies were questioned by a panel of judges over allegations they devised a scheme to keep Bolsonaro in office despite his loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The Supreme Court panel, led by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, freed up its schedule to hear the eight defendants in the case until the end of Friday. But they managed to finish the inquiry on the second day in speedy fashion. Legal experts say the sentencing phase of the trial is expected in the second half of the year.

“There was never any talk of a coup. A coup is an abominable thing," Bolsonaro said. “Brazil couldn’t go through an experience like that. And there was never even the possibility of a coup in my government.”

The far-right politician admitted to discussing “possibilities” with the heads of the armed forces following Lula’s win, but within constitutional limits. He didn’t give details.

Bolsonaro's questioning lasted just over two hours. At one point, he joked with Justice de Moraes — whose planned killing was part of the plot, the prosecutor-general has alleged — a contrast to the sharp words Bolsonaro has aimed at the court in the past.

The defendants are standing trial on five counts: attempting to stage a coup, involvement in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, aggravated damage and deterioration of listed heritage.

A coup conviction carries a sentence of up to 12 years. A conviction on that and other charges could bring decades behind bars.

The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and asserted that he is the target of political persecution. When asked by de Moraes at the beginning of questioning whether the accusation was true, Bolsonaro replied, “The accusation does not hold, your excellency.”

He said that even if he had wanted to impose a “state of siege,” the measures would have been different. “There was no environment for it, no opportunity. We didn’t have even a minimally solid base to do anything,” he said.

The eight defendants are accused of making up the plan’s core group. Justices are also questioning Bolsonaro’s former running mate and defense minister Walter Braga Netto, former defense minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, former ministers Anderson Torres and Augusto Heleno and ex aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, among others.

Judges will hear from 26 other defendants at a later date. The court has already heard from dozens of witnesses in hearings that began in mid-May.

Cid, who has signed a plea bargain with the federal police, told the court on Monday that Bolsonaro read and edited a document that aimed at canceling the election result.

Cid also said Bolsonaro refused to interfere regarding camps that supporters set up in front of army facilities calling for a military intervention after the election loss.

Former defense minister Nogueira, who was also Brazil's army commander during the Bolsonaro presidency, said in his testimony that he had encouraged the far-right leader to give a national address at the end of December 2022 to recognize his defeat and leave office. He also said the riots in Brasilia were “a peaceful demonstration that ended in hooliganism.”

Many of those followers were later part of the Jan. 8, 2023 riot. Police say their uprising — which occurred after Lula was sworn in — was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president.

Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet alleges the riot was part of a scheme to overturn the election result. Part of that plot allegedly included a plan to kill Lula and de Moraes. The plan did not go ahead at the last minute because the accused failed to get the army’s commander on board, according to Gonet.

On Tuesday, Bolsonaro said he had learned about the plot, which received the sinister name of “Green and Yellow Dagger,” when it was reported in the press.

“If it had been proposed, in my view, it would have been rejected, with immediate action taken,” he said.

Braga Netto, the former Bolsonaro running mate, gave his testimony from prison. He said he never saw the document that allegedly described the plot.

Bolsonaro, a former military officer who was known to express nostalgia for the country’s past dictatorship, openly defied Brazil’s judicial system during his 2019-2022 term in office.

He has been banned by Brazil’s top electoral court from running in elections until 2030 over abuse of power while in office and casting unfounded doubts on the country’s electronic voting system.

Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think tank and university, called the trial historic.

“It’s the first time we see people accused of an attempted coup are being subjected to a criminal trial, with the guarantees of due criminal process, being able to defend themselves but answering for these accusations,” he said.

The trial is particularly significant in light of the fact that Brazil's constitution was adopted in 1988, less than four decades ago, Bottino said.

Brazil is showing that it has “the democratic maturity to be able to use due process to investigate this type of accusation and, if necessary, hold those responsible accountable,” he said.

Later on Tuesday, Bolsonaro took to social media to comment about his testimony.

“I did not request to be silent. I didn't look for excuses. I answered every question with transparency and conviction," he said. “Today I leave the court in peace and more confident that I will be the next president to help take our country out of this mess.”

Bolsonaro has already been ruled out of the 2026 presidential elections, a penalty that could be further extended for the 70-year-old leader with a conviction in the trial.

Associated Press writer Mauricio Savarese contributed to this report from Sao Paulo.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, back to camera at left, talks with General Augusto Heleno, the former minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet, standing, before their Supreme Court trial, along with others, facing charges of an alleged coup plot to keep Bolsonaro in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro shows his cell phone during his Supreme Court trial as he and others face charges for an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, right, talks with his lawyer as he sits before Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes during his trial, along with others, charged with an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes holds a trial for those charged in an alleged coup plot to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes holds a trial for those charged in an alleged coup plot to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attends his Supreme Court trial along with others charged in an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)