Bolsonaro Detained Over Alleged Escape Risk After Ankle Monitor Tampering

Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro was taken into custody on Saturday after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that a planned supporters’ vigil posed an escape risk and violated the terms of his house arrest. The decision ends more than three months of house arrest as Bolsonaro continues appealing his conviction for allegedly plotting a coup after the 2022 election.

According to court documents cited by Reuters, Moraes pointed to evidence that Bolsonaro’s ankle monitor had been tampered with hours before the vigil. Police later confirmed the device showed “clear and significant damage,” including burn marks, and that Bolsonaro admitted using a soldering iron to open it. Officers replaced the monitor, and the detention order followed soon after.

Bolsonaro’s legal team criticized the ruling, saying the gathering outside his residence was intended as a “prayer vigil” protected under Brazil’s constitutional right to religious freedom. They plan to file an appeal, arguing that the former president had been under police surveillance at home despite claims of a potential escape attempt. Moraes' decision will be reviewed by a Supreme Court panel on Monday.

The ruling referenced earlier indications that Bolsonaro had considered seeking asylum at the Argentine embassy in Brasilia. The judge also noted that his son Eduardo Bolsonaro and other allies had already fled the country to avoid legal proceedings.

Bolsonaro is currently appealing a 27-year sentence for allegedly leading a scheme to block President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in 2023. He is also under investigation for allegedly soliciting U.S. interference in his legal cases. During his house arrest, he was banned from social media but still received visits from political allies. His sons publicly mobilized supporters following the arrest, calling on them to “fight” for Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro is now being held in a federal police facility in Brasilia. His defense has requested humanitarian house arrest due to his medical history, but Moraes rejected the request. Further explanations from Bolsonaro’s team about the monitor violation are due within 48 hours.