Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro Arrested Over Ankle Monitor Incident

Jair Bolsonaro, the ex-President of Brazil, was arrested on Saturday for allegedly tampering with his electronic ankle monitor. He attributes this behavior to paranoia and hallucinations caused by medication he's been prescribed.

At 70 years old, Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence for conspiring to undermine the results of the 2022 presidential election. He has been under house arrest in Brasilia for over 100 days, with Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes citing a risk of flight as the reason for his detention.

In a court hearing lasting 30 minutes, Bolsonaro asserted he did not intend to escape, explaining that his actions were due to a misunderstanding related to anticonvulsant medication, which he took for chronic hiccups. He thought the ankle monitor was equipped with surveillance technology. Although he attempted to manipulate it using a soldering iron, he quickly ceased and reported the incident to the authorities.

During the incident, he was the only one awake in the house, with family members asleep nearby. The court documents confirm that he “came to his senses” and halted any tampering without further issues. Nevertheless, the judge decided to keep him in custody, stating that the police were acting within their legal rights.

Currently, Bolsonaro is being held in a modest 12-square-meter cell at the federal police facility in Brasilia, which contains basic amenities like a bed, television, air conditioning, and a private restroom. His lawyers have requested that he be placed under “humanitarian house arrest” due to his age, health issues, and past hospital stays following a stabbing incident during his 2018 campaign.

Outside the police headquarters, his supporters protested vehemently, labeling the arrest as a political act of persecution. Demonstrator Alessandro Almeida asserted, “He hasn’t committed any crime. It’s simply a political persecution.”

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva supported the Supreme Court’s decision during the G20 summit, affirming that the principle of innocence has been respected and that Bolsonaro will face the punishment decided by the court.