Brazil Supreme Court upholds detention of Bolsonaro over tampered ankle monitor

Brazil’s Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the detention of former president Jair Bolsonaro after he damaged his electronic ankle monitor, a violation the court said raised serious concerns about a potential escape attempt. According to reports by AFP and other outlets, he was arrested on 23 November.

The ruling came during a virtual session on 25 November, in which Justice Alexandre de Moraes and three other judges affirmed that Bolsonaro had “wilfully and consciously” tampered with the device. Their decision formalised his transfer from house arrest to detention.

Bolsonaro had been under house arrest while appealing a sentence of more than 27 years for plotting a failed coup intended to block Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office after the 2022 election, according to AFP.

Authorities said Bolsonaro used a soldering iron on the monitor on Friday. A court video released on Saturday showed the strap burnt and damaged, though still attached to his ankle.

During a hearing on Sunday, Bolsonaro told the court he had suffered what he described as medication‑induced paranoia between Friday and Saturday. According to court documents cited by AFP, he claimed he had no intention of fleeing and denied breaking the strap.

However, de Moraes highlighted what he called “very serious indications of a possible attempt to flee,” pointing to a planned vigil organised by Bolsonaro’s son outside his residence. He also noted the proximity of the US embassy and Bolsonaro’s close relationship with US President Donald Trump, suggesting he might have sought political asylum.

Other justices — Flavio Dino, Cristiano Zanin and Carmen Lucia — upheld the detention order. They agreed that Bolsonaro’s actions undermined the conditions of his house arrest and justified his transfer to custody.

Bolsonaro is currently being held in a police station in Brasília. His lawyers argued that he should be returned to “humanitarian house arrest,” citing what they described as a state of mental confusion caused by medication.

The court has already rejected one appeal of his sentence. His legal team has until midnight on Monday to file another challenge, according to local reports.

Bolsonaro was convicted in September for leading a conspiracy aimed at preventing Lula from assuming office after the 2022 election. According to multiple judicial findings, the plot included plans to assassinate Lula, vice‑presidential candidate Geraldo Alckmin, and de Moraes.

The conspiracy collapsed when senior military commanders declined to support it. Lula was sworn in on 1 January 2023, but a week later thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília. Around 1,500 people were arrested after security forces intervened.

Justices concluded that Bolsonaro had incited the rioters as part of a broader effort to trigger military intervention. He has been barred from holding public office until 2060, a ban that extends well beyond the end of his prison term.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly described the proceedings as a “witch hunt” aimed at preventing him from contesting the 2026 presidential election. His detention has also drawn criticism from Trump, who imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods in response, according to media reports.