Folha photojournalist wins Gabo Prize for work on Bolsonaro trial

Brazilian photojournalist Gabriela Biló has won the prestigious Gabo Journalism Prize in the photography category. Her winning work, "How Democracies Survive," offers a compelling look at the trial that led to the 2025 conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro for attempting a coup d'état.

The essay captures intimate, behind-the-scenes moments of the trial proceedings, focusing on the movements within the Supreme Federal Court (STF) and the individuals who played roles both inside and outside the courtroom. Biló's lens provides a visual narrative of a highly symbolic period in recent Brazilian democratic history.

Judges praised Biló's work, noting that while democracy can be an abstract concept, her photographs make it tangible. They specifically highlighted the "irretachable" composition of her images. Biló, who has been with Folha de S.Paulo since 2022, has also published books on the events surrounding the attempted coup and the subsequent trial.

Brazil led the nominations in this edition of the Gabo Prize, with 16 entries selected from a total of 1,915 submissions. The award, established by the Gabo Foundation, honors the legacy of Colombian writer and journalist Gabriel García Márquez.

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even though democracy is an abstract and difficult idea to represent, the work makes it possible. The composition of the photos is irretachable.