Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was detained Saturday after attempting to disable his ankle monitor in order to escape from house arrest. The move came as a preventive measure, following the Supreme Court's ruling that he posed a high flight risk due to his appeal of a conviction for leading a coup attempt against left-wing leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, had been under house arrest since August and was confined to an upscale condominium in Brasilia. However, his lawyers claimed that the attempted disabling of the ankle monitor occurred early Saturday as part of a plan to "ensure the success of his escape," facilitated by a planned demonstration outside his home.
Bolsonaro's son, Flavio, had urged supporters to gather for a vigil, which the Supreme Court deemed could cause turmoil and create an environment conducive to his escape. The court gave Bolsonaro's lawyers 24 hours to explain the incident.
The detention came as tensions surrounding the trial continued to escalate. US President Donald Trump, who has been critical of Brazil over the case, spoke with Bolsonaro on Saturday evening and expressed support for him, saying he would meet with him "in the very near future."
As news of the arrest spread, supporters of the former president gathered outside the federal police complex where Bolsonaro is being held. Some celebrated his imprisonment, viewing it as a long-overdue punishment for his alleged role in a coup attempt against Lula. Others claimed it was part of a broader "political persecution" and expressed outrage at what they saw as an unjust arrest.
Bolsonaro faces up to 27 years in prison for his role in the plot to stop Lula from taking office after the 2022 elections. His defense team has vowed to appeal the detention, citing concerns over Bolsonaro's frail health due to a stab wound he sustained during a campaign event in 2018.
With the Brazilian presidential election set to take place in 2026, Bolsonaro's supporters are now facing an uncertain future without their leader. Lula, who has vowed to seek a fourth term, is seen as the frontrunner for the presidency, but his popularity has faced challenges from protests and opposition from conservative groups.
Bolsonaro's case has highlighted the country's ongoing struggles with democracy and accountability. As the trial continues, Brazilians will be watching closely to see how it unfolds and what implications it may have for the country's future.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, had been under house arrest since August and was confined to an upscale condominium in Brasilia. However, his lawyers claimed that the attempted disabling of the ankle monitor occurred early Saturday as part of a plan to "ensure the success of his escape," facilitated by a planned demonstration outside his home.
Bolsonaro's son, Flavio, had urged supporters to gather for a vigil, which the Supreme Court deemed could cause turmoil and create an environment conducive to his escape. The court gave Bolsonaro's lawyers 24 hours to explain the incident.
The detention came as tensions surrounding the trial continued to escalate. US President Donald Trump, who has been critical of Brazil over the case, spoke with Bolsonaro on Saturday evening and expressed support for him, saying he would meet with him "in the very near future."
As news of the arrest spread, supporters of the former president gathered outside the federal police complex where Bolsonaro is being held. Some celebrated his imprisonment, viewing it as a long-overdue punishment for his alleged role in a coup attempt against Lula. Others claimed it was part of a broader "political persecution" and expressed outrage at what they saw as an unjust arrest.
Bolsonaro faces up to 27 years in prison for his role in the plot to stop Lula from taking office after the 2022 elections. His defense team has vowed to appeal the detention, citing concerns over Bolsonaro's frail health due to a stab wound he sustained during a campaign event in 2018.
With the Brazilian presidential election set to take place in 2026, Bolsonaro's supporters are now facing an uncertain future without their leader. Lula, who has vowed to seek a fourth term, is seen as the frontrunner for the presidency, but his popularity has faced challenges from protests and opposition from conservative groups.
Bolsonaro's case has highlighted the country's ongoing struggles with democracy and accountability. As the trial continues, Brazilians will be watching closely to see how it unfolds and what implications it may have for the country's future.
Bolsonaro thought he could just disable his ankle monitor and make a break for it? like, come on dude 
. I feel bad for him, he's old and frail already, doesn't need to be stuck in some fancy condo and face all these charges. 27 years in prison though? that's a long time 
. I don't think he'll serve the whole sentence, but still, it's a huge deal.
. But at the same time, some people are genuinely worried about this "political persecution" thing... I don't know, man. It feels like Brazil is just stuck in this mess 
. He's got some major supporters, but also a lot of protesters and opposition groups. I don't think he'll have an easy time winning the election. This whole thing just feels like it's going to keep going on and on... 
27 years in prison is a looong time lol but seriously though, it's crazy how much tension there is around this trial 
whoever wins, let's hope brazil can get back to being democratic and all that 
. i mean, disabling his ankle monitor? that's just crazy talk! but at the same time, i get why the supreme court was all over him - he is a flight risk and all that jazz... [
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Just saw that Bolsonaro got busted trying to disable his ankle monitor 
! Anyway, it's not like he didn't know the risks of being on house arrest 
. Can we just wait for the trial to be over before making any judgments? 
I'm trying to stay neutral, but it's hard not to feel like this whole thing is a bit of a mess 
. Fingers crossed it all gets resolved soon! 
this whole thing is just crazy... like can't you guys even follow the rules? 
is Brazil really ready for another coup attempt? 
i was at home studying for a exam and i thought it would be funny to try to sneak out of my room without anyone noticing... but then my roommate caught me and literally laughed at me like "what are you even doing?" 
. And have you tried that one new ice cream shop downtown? It's got this amazing flavor called "Matcha Madness" 
. Anyway, back to Bolsonaro... I don't know why the US is being so involved in his case 