Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was arrested by federal police on Monday, ending months of house arrest while he appeals a Supreme Court ruling that he threatened democracy in the country. Reuters reported this, citing Bolsonaro's lawyer, BTA reports.
Lawyer Celso Vilardi did not give a reason for the detention. A federal police spokesman confirmed that Bolsonaro had undergone medical examinations this morning before entering prison.
The former right-wing leader was sentenced in September to 27 years and three months in prison for plotting a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 election to leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. However, the courts have not yet issued a final arrest warrant in the case because Bolsonaro has not exhausted the appeals process.
Bolsonaro has been under strict house arrest for more than 100 days for violating protective measures in a separate case related to alleged US interference in the prosecution of him. US President Donald Trump, who was friends with Bolsonaro when they were both in office, has described the case as a “witch hunt”. He imposed sanctions on the judge in the case, as well as a 50% tariff on imports of some Brazilian goods into the United States, which he began to lift this month.
While under house arrest, Bolsonaro was banned from using social media but did receive visits from political allies. His defense is expected to request permission to serve his sentence under house arrest, citing health concerns.
Bolsonaro was previously banned from running for elected office until 2030 after Brazil’s electoral court found him guilty of fraud during his 2022 re-election campaign.