Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro commenced his 27-year prison term on Tuesday for orchestrating a coup to retain power after losing the 2022 presidential election, a development that many in Brazil had not anticipated. Justice Alexandre de Moraes mandated Bolsonaro’s confinement at Brazil’s Federal Police headquarters in Brasilia following his removal of the ankle monitor using a soldering iron.
Bolsonaro will be isolated from other inmates at the facility, residing in a 12-square-meter room furnished with a bed, private bathroom, air conditioning, TV, and a desk. While under Brazil’s criminal law, he could have been transferred to a local prison or a military facility in Brasilia.
Convicted by a panel of Supreme Court justices, Bolsonaro and his associates were found guilty of attempting to subvert Brazil’s democracy post his electoral defeat, including a plot to assassinate President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice de Moraes, along with inciting insurrection in early 2023. The charges against Bolsonaro also included leading an armed criminal group and attempting to violently undermine democratic principles.
Despite his continuous denial of any wrongdoing, the highest court in Brazil finalized Bolsonaro’s case, dismissing his appeals and upholding the guilty verdict. Bolsonaro, a significant political figure in Brazil, is ineligible to run for office until 2030 as per a ruling by the top electoral court. Nonetheless, he remains influential in Brazilian politics and retains popularity among the public, as indicated by polls projecting him as a strong contender in future elections if permitted to run.
Known for his alliance with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized the trial as a “witch hunt,” Bolsonaro faced additional scrutiny for allegedly seeking Trump’s intervention to evade legal charges. The relationship between Brazil and the U.S. has seen fluctuations, with Trump imposing increased tariffs on Brazilian exports, a decision later rescinded following improved diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Before his recent detention, Bolsonaro was under house arrest in Brasilia for over 100 days in connection to allegations of soliciting Trump’s interference in legal matters. Subsequently, bilateral relations have seen positive developments, with meetings between Trump and Lula at international summits leading to the reduction of heightened tariffs on Brazilian goods.