Former Brazilian president jailed amid claims of coup plot, threats

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on November 25 began serving a 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, surprising many in the nation who doubted he would ever face incarceration.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has overseen the case, ruled that Bolsonaro will remain in custody following his preemptive arrest on Saturday. The former leader had been under house arrest since August but was taken into custody after attempting to tamper with his ankle monitor. Bolsonaro attributed the act to “hallucinations,” a claim de Moraes dismissed in his ruling, NBC News reports.

Supporters and detractors gathered outside the federal police headquarters, with some calling for his release and others celebrating his imprisonment. About a dozen supporters, clad in Brazil’s yellow and green, demanded Congress grant amnesty to Bolsonaro and his allies, while some criticized de Moraes, the media, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s supporters. A few even appealed to former U.S. President Donald Trump for intervention.

Bolsonaro is confined to a 12-square-meter cell equipped with a bed, private bathroom, air conditioning, TV, and desk. He will have unrestricted access to his doctors and lawyers, while visitation by others requires Supreme Court approval.

De Moraes ruled that Bolsonaro’s defense had exhausted all appeals, though the former president’s lawyers continue to seek house arrest due to health concerns. “There is no legal possibility of any other appeal,” the justice stated.

Bolsonaro and several allies were convicted by a panel of Supreme Court justices for attempting to overthrow Brazil’s democracy after his 2022 election defeat. The plot reportedly included plans to kill President Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice de Moraes, and to incite an insurrection in early 2023. He was also found guilty of leading an armed criminal organization and attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law. Bolsonaro has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

By Vafa Guliyeva