Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was taken into custody by federal police on Saturday, preceding a planned gathering of his supporters near his residence. This development marked the end of his months-long house arrest while appealing a Supreme Court conviction related to an alleged coup plot.
Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Celso Vilardi, acknowledged the detention without providing a specific reason. A federal police spokesperson mentioned that Bolsonaro underwent initial examinations in Brasilia on Saturday morning.
The detention was ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who expressed concerns about the risk posed by Bolsonaro’s supporters camping near his residence, potentially impeding police surveillance. Moraes also highlighted evidence of tampering with the ex-president’s ankle monitor the previous night.
In his decision, Moraes stated, “The disorder caused by an unlawful assembly of the convict’s supporters significantly increases the likelihood of endangering the house arrest and other precautionary measures, facilitating a potential escape.” The judge also referenced indications that Bolsonaro had contemplated seeking asylum at the Argentine Embassy in Brasilia, noting that some of his associates had already fled the country to evade legal consequences.
Another attorney representing Bolsonaro refrained from immediate comment on the court ruling. The right-wing former leader had been sentenced in September to over 27 years in prison for his involvement in a coup plot following his defeat in the 2022 election to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro was identified as the mastermind of a scheme aimed at preventing Lula from assuming office in 2023. Despite the conviction, no final arrest warrant has been issued as Bolsonaro continues to pursue legal appeals.
Having been under strict house arrest for more than 100 days due to alleged violations of precautionary measures in a separate case involving purported interference from the U.S., Bolsonaro has been restricted from using social media but has received visits from political allies.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, his son, urged supporters via social media to assemble outside his father’s residence in Brasilia on Saturday evening, rallying them to “fight back and rescue Brazil.”
If Bolsonaro’s appeals prove unsuccessful, his defense is likely to request permission for him to serve his lengthy sentence under house arrest, citing various health issues. The former president, who endured a stabbing incident during a campaign event in 2018, has a medical history that includes hospitalizations and surgeries stemming from the attack.
Bolsonaro had previously faced a ban on running for office until 2030 after the Brazilian electoral court found him guilty of abusing his authority during his 2022 re-election campaign.