Bolsonaro Arrested in Brazil Amid Fears of Escape Attempt
BRASÍLIA, Brazil – Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was arrested Saturday, accused of attempting to facilitate his own escape ahead of beginning an eight-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, according to Brazilian authorities. The preemptive arrest took place at the Federal Police headquarters in Brasília, where Bolsonaro had been confined under house arrest since early August.
The arrest stems from allegations that Bolsonaro instructed aides to tamper with his electronic monitoring device. His lawyers had been seeking to have him serve his sentence at home, citing health concerns. However, authorities allege Bolsonaro was actively planning to flee the country.
Fabio Wajngarten, Bolsonaro’s former press adviser and lawyer, denounced the arrest as “a terrible stain on the institutions” in a video posted on X, stating, ”It’s a shame.I hope this is reviewed soon.” wajngarten also questioned the timing of the allegations,noting the ankle monitoring device was functioning normally as of Saturday morning. “how could something that was broken, violated, be functioning normally nine hours later?” he wrote. He further stated Bolsonaro had dinner – a soup – with family members Friday evening, took medication for hiccups, and went to bed around 10 p.m., with none of his sons present.
Renato Bolsonaro, the former president’s brother, also criticized the arrest in an Instagram video, asking, “So we can’t even gather to cry out for justice or pray for our president? Do they want to take away our right to express ourselves?”
Bolsonaro and several allies were convicted by Brazil’s Supreme Court for attempting to overthrow the country’s democracy following his 2022 election loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Prosecutors allege the coup plot included plans to kill Lula and incite an insurrection in early 2023. he was also found guilty of leading an armed criminal institution and attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, charges he denies.
Brazilian law requires all convicts to begin their sentences in prison, though Bolsonaro had been under house arrest. Despite being ineligible to run for office until at least 2030 due to a separate ruling by Brazil’s top electoral court, polls indicate he would be a strong candidate in next year’s election if permitted to run.
Bolsonaro is a political ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has characterized the trial as a “witch hunt.” The U.S. management had previously raised tariffs on several Brazilian exports by 50% in July, but most of those higher tariffs were dropped by Trump on Friday.
