**Bolsonaro Claims No Coup Involvement Amid Ongoing Trial**

Bolsonaro's assertions come during a trial linked to the storming of government buildings by his supporters, which he claims was not a coup.

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has taken a firm stance against allegations of his involvement in a coup attempt aimed at toppling the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Addressing the court for the first time since the trial began, Bolsonaro termed any suggestion of a coup as "abominable" and insisted there was “never even a possibility of a coup in my government.”

The 70-year-old ex-president, who led Brazil from 2019 until late 2022, finds himself facing serious legal repercussions alongside seven co-defendants over the January 8, 2023 unrest, when militant supporters stormed government buildings just a week after Lula's inauguration. The charges against him include involvement in an armed conspiracy, attempted coup, and aggravated damage to national heritage, with potential for decades in prison if convicted. Bolsonaro, who previously lost a narrow election to Lula, reiterated that claims of election fraud were propagated without intent to incite violence during his government.

During the court session, Judge Alexandre de Moraes questioned Bolsonaro about the planned coup, to which he firmly responded that the indictment "does not hold." Although Bolsonaro has historically asserted doubts about the integrity of electronic voting, he maintained that he acted within constitutional limits and recognized his constitutional duties during his tenure.

While many of his associates also deny the charges, the former leader remains a polarizing figure in Brazil. Bolsonaro, an admirer of former US President Donald Trump, has not accepted the results of the last election, resulting in fervent protests from loyalists who repeatedly demanded military intervention to overturn the election. Despite his legal battles and an existing ban from seeking office until 2030 due to false fraud claims, Bolsonaro shows determination to pursue a political comeback in the 2026 elections.

As the trial unfolds, the former president currently remains in focus amid ongoing scrutiny regarding Brazil’s political future and the implications of his populist rhetoric.