Why was former President Bolsonaro arrested in Brazil?
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro used a special device to disable an ankle monitor while under house arrest, fearing he might flee. That's why the country's federal police arrested him on Saturday. The former right-wing leader lost the 2022 election to leftist Lula da Silva. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison last September for plotting a coup to stay in power. His appeal is ongoing. Bolsonaro is now being held in a 12-square-meter cell at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia. He had been under house arrest for more than 100 days in a separate case before his arrest. Bolsonaro is an ideological ally of US President Donald Trump.
Trump lifted tariffs on Brazil to protect him. But the move appears to have had little effect. Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro's detention. The judge said Bolsonaro's supporters had planned a rally outside his home that could disrupt monitoring of his house arrest. That's why he ordered Bolsonaro's detention. Bolsonaro is an ideological ally of US President Donald Trump. Trump lifted tariffs on Brazil to protect him. But the move appears to have had little effect.
The judge wrote in his order that "the chaos caused by the illegal stay could jeopardize the house arrest and other protective measures, which would increase the risk of Bolsonaro escaping." Bolsonaro's lawyers called the detention "highly misleading." In a statement, they said the prayer rally was planned for Bolsonaro, which is a constitutional right. The lawyers are preparing to appeal his detention. Judge Moraes said in his order that the court had evidence that Bolsonaro had previously considered taking refuge in the Argentine embassy in Brasilia.
Bolsonaro's son, federal lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, and several of his close associates have already fled Brazil to avoid the courts. A Supreme Court panel will review the detention order on Monday. Bolsonaro's son, federal lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, and several of his close associates have already fled Brazil to avoid the courts. Police said irregularities were detected in the surveillance device on Bolsonaro's ankle at midnight.
Later, officers went to his home and found that the device was clearly and extensively damaged. They also found burn marks. In a video, Bolsonaro admitted that he had tried to burn it with a special device "out of curiosity." Police replaced the device and the judge ordered his arrest. Bolsonaro was president of Brazil from 2019 to 2022.
According to a Reuters report, the arrest of the right-wing former president is expected to further strain relations between Brazil and the United States. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said he was surprised and very unhappy with Bolsonaro's conviction.
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