Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, has recently been taken into custody after being found guilty of plotting a coup. After being sentenced to over 27 years in prison in September, he was removed from house arrest and placed in detention, where he remains. At a court hearing in Brasília, Bolsonaro admitted to attempting to open his ankle monitor with a soldering iron but stated that he had no intention of fleeing. He attributed his actions to “paranoia” induced by medication.
Authorities designated Bolsonaro as a flight risk in light of a vigil organized by his supporters outside his residence. Currently, he is being held at a police station in Brazil’s capital. His legal troubles have elicited reactions from notable figures, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro’s conviction stems from his leadership in a conspiracy to retain power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Supreme Court determined that he was aware of a plot that included plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential nominee, Geraldo Alckmin, as well as to arrest and execute Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the trial. The conspiracy reportedly failed to gain support from high-ranking military commanders.
On January 1, 2023, Lula was inaugurated without issue, but shortly thereafter, on January 8, many supporters of Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in Brasília. The security forces intervened, resulting in approximately 1,500 arrests. The court found that Bolsonaro had incited this riot with the intention of having the military reinstate him to power. As part of his sentence, he is barred from holding public office until 2060, which is eight years after the completion of his prison term.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gplp979j1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss