As a military man Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro had a reputation for disobeying orders. As head of state from 2019 to 2022, he thumbed his nose at institutions.

Now he risks more than 40 years in prison for what prosecutors described as his most egregious act of defiance yet: plotting to cling on to power after losing elections to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The former army captain, who has the political backing of US President Donald Trump, was convicted Thursday of having led a criminal organization that aimed to prevent Lula taking office in early 2023.

The plot envisaged the assassination of Lula, his vice president Geraldo Alckmin, and Alexandre de Moraes -- one of the five Supreme Court judges in his trial.

Moraes and four others voted over several days to convict h

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