Brazil's former President, Jair Bolsonaro, has confessed to attempting to damage his electronic ankle monitor while under house arrest, an action that prompted his swift return to a prison cell.
A Confession and an Arrest
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, leading to the 70-year-old's arrest on the orders of Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Bolsonaro was taken into custody and held at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia.
By Monday, a four-member panel of the court, including justices Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, and Carmen Lúcia, had unanimously decided to uphold his preemptive arrest. The court viewed his actions as a serious violation of the terms of his house arrest, which began in August.
The Defence and The Court's Ruling
Bolsonaro presented his defence to an assistant judge on Sunday, claiming that a change in his medication induced a nervous breakdown and hallucinations, which led him to try and break the monitoring device. This explanation was supported by his doctors and lawyers when they addressed the media.
However, the judiciary saw the matter differently. In his decision, Justice de Moraes stated that Bolsonaro ... confessed he had broken the ankle monitoring in a serious foul play. The justice deemed the former leader a significant flight risk, especially with his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt after his 2022 election defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva looming.
Public Reaction and Ongoing Unrest
The news of Bolsonaro's arrest and his subsequent confession has stirred strong reactions across Brazil. Supporters and detractors of the far-right leader have taken to the streets in several cities, highlighting the deep political divisions within the country.
The court's firm stance underscores its commitment to holding the former president accountable, with the attempted tampering with the electronic monitor seen as a direct challenge to its authority.
