Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro starts 27-year jail term for plotting to overthrow government after exhausting all legal appeals.
BRASÍLIA: Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a failed coup.
The court ruled the judgment final on Tuesday after Bolsonaro exhausted all appeals against his September conviction for attempting to prevent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office after the 2022 elections.
Prosecutors said the scheme included a plot to kill the veteran leftist and failed only due to lack of military support.
The 70-year-old former army captain is now detained in a small room at police headquarters equipped with a TV, mini-fridge, and air-conditioning.
Bolsonaro had been under house arrest until Saturday when he was detained for tampering with his ankle monitor using a soldering iron.
Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes cited “very serious indications of a possible attempt to flee” during a planned vigil organized by Bolsonaro’s son.
The justice pointed to Bolsonaro’s proximity to the US embassy and his relationship with President Donald Trump as potential motives for seeking political asylum.
During a Sunday hearing, Bolsonaro stated he “experienced a certain paranoia” due to medications and had no intention of fleeing.
He previously claimed he used the soldering iron on the monitoring bracelet out of “curiosity.”
The court also ordered a military tribunal to decide whether Bolsonaro should be stripped of his captain’s rank.
Bolsonaro’s defense lawyer Paulo Cunha Bueno called the case closure “surprising” and said he would file another appeal despite the court’s ruling.
The court rejected a petition from Bolsonaro’s lawyers requesting he serve his sentence at home due to ill health.
His defense team argues detention puts his life at risk given his numerous health issues stemming from a 2018 stabbing that required multiple surgeries.
Bolsonaro also suffers from persistent “uncontrollable hiccups” linked to gastric issues that cause breathing difficulties and fainting.
His son Carlos Bolsonaro described him after a Tuesday visit as “extremely fragile and psychologically devastated.”
Bolsonaro maintains his innocence and claims he is a victim of political persecution.
The former president’s imprisonment leaves Brazil’s conservative electorate without a clear champion ahead of 2026 presidential elections where Lula plans to seek a fourth term. – AFP
