Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president convicted of plotting a coup, has blamed medicine-induced paranoia for damage he caused to his ankle monitor - a day after he was removed from house arrest into detention. At a hearing in Brasília, he admitted trying to open the monitor with a soldering iron until he came to his senses, court documents show. He stated he had no intention of fleeing.
Officials say the right-wing politician, 70, was taken into custody because he was a flight risk ahead of a supporters' vigil outside his home. He will remain in detention. In September, Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for the coup plot.
Bolsonaro is currently held in a police station in the capital. His legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist US President Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Supreme Court justices said he had known of a plot that included plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, as well as arresting and executing Moraes, who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial. The conspiracy failed to gain support from military leaders, and Lula assumed office peacefully on January 1, 2023.
However, one week later, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília. Security forces intervened, leading to the arrest of about 1,500 people. The justices found that the rioters were incited by Bolsonaro, whose plan was for the military to restore him to power.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bolsonaro has been barred from running for public office until 2060, eight years after the end of his sentence. He has called his trial a witch hunt designed to impede his ability to participate in the 2026 presidential election.
Officials say the right-wing politician, 70, was taken into custody because he was a flight risk ahead of a supporters' vigil outside his home. He will remain in detention. In September, Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for the coup plot.
Bolsonaro is currently held in a police station in the capital. His legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist US President Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Supreme Court justices said he had known of a plot that included plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, as well as arresting and executing Moraes, who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial. The conspiracy failed to gain support from military leaders, and Lula assumed office peacefully on January 1, 2023.
However, one week later, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília. Security forces intervened, leading to the arrest of about 1,500 people. The justices found that the rioters were incited by Bolsonaro, whose plan was for the military to restore him to power.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bolsonaro has been barred from running for public office until 2060, eight years after the end of his sentence. He has called his trial a witch hunt designed to impede his ability to participate in the 2026 presidential election.
