RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil's Supreme Court sentenced high-ranking military officials and a federal police officer to up to 24 years in prison on Tuesday after finding them guilty of plotting to carry out a coup, and kill President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other top officials.

In September, the Supreme Court panel sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison for leading the criminal organization that sought to overturn the 2022 election, when Lula defeated Bolsonaro. At the time, the panel also sentenced other close allies who justices said formed part of the “core group.”

On Tuesday, the panel convicted those accused of planning the criminal organization’s violent actions, which included a plot to kill Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the Associated Press reported.

Of the 10 defendants forming part of this group, nine are high-ranking military officers and one a member of the federal police, the AP report said.

The four-justice panel unanimously convicted nine of them, acquitting a retired general due to insufficient evidence.

Seven of them were convicted of attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, attempted coup, participation in an armed criminal organization, aggravated damage and deterioration of listed heritage.

Two were convicted of the less serious offences of criminal association and public incitement of animosity between the Armed Forces and constitutional authorities.

Sentences ranged from 1 year and 11 months to 24 years, with four defendants handed down time behind bars of more than two decades.

“Brazil, once again, due to the irresponsibility and lack of patriotism of some, flirted with and almost fell into a chasm of institutional darkness,” Justice Flávio Dino said as he cast his vote, in a reference to Brazil’s military dictatorship (1964-1985).

“It wasn’t just a walk in the park. It was a coup that was going to arrest and kill people, revoke the constitution, citizenship and the free press. And these are not conjectures: it was written in the planning seized from these various public agents,” he added.

Last week, Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet pointed to evidence that a federal police officer infiltrated the security team of the then president-elect to enable the group’s violent plans.

The plan didn’t advance due to the Army commander’s lack of support, according to Moraes, who is overseeing the sprawling coup case.

Those convicted will only start serving time once appeals are exhausted. — Agencies