Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Arrested Ahead of 27-Year Sentence
Brazilian federal police have taken former President Jair Bolsonaro into custody, just days before he was scheduled to begin a significant 27-year prison term. The arrest stems from his conviction for spearheading a coup attempt in 2022. Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, was transferred to a detention facility on Saturday, as confirmed by his legal team and a close aide.
Details of the Arrest
Lawyer Celso Vilardi expressed surprise, stating to AFP, "He has been imprisoned, but I don’t know why." Reports from The Associated Press, citing an aide, indicated that the former leader was transported to the police headquarters in Brasilia. Andriely Cirino, another aide, specified the arrest occurred around 6 am (03:00 GMT) on Saturday. While Brazil’s federal police issued a brief statement confirming an arrest at the Supreme Court's request, they refrained from naming Bolsonaro or providing further details at the time of publication.
The 70-year-old former head of state was reportedly taken from his residence in the upscale Jardim Botanico neighbourhood to the federal police headquarters. Local media outlets suggest that Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil's president from 2019 to 2022, was expected to commence his sentence this coming week, having exhausted all avenues of appeal against his conviction. His legal team had previously advocated for him to serve the 27-year sentence under house arrest, citing potential health risks associated with imprisonment.
The Coup Attempt and Its Aftermath
Bolsonaro's conviction in September revolved around his efforts to obstruct President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from assuming power after the 2022 election, which Bolsonaro lost. This ultimately led to crowds of rioters storming government buildings a week after Lula's inauguration. These events drew significant parallels to the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol, which occurred after Bolsonaro's close political ally, former President Donald Trump, lost the 2020 US election to Joe Biden.
International Repercussions and Diplomacy
The international dimension to this case is notable. Donald Trump previously decried Bolsonaro's prosecution as a "witch-hunt," incorporating it into US-Brazil relations by imposing steep tariffs on Brazil as a retaliatory measure. However, a recent meeting between Trump and Lula last month on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, described by Brazil as constructive, offered a glimmer of hope for improved relations. Lula himself called the meeting "great," indicating that negotiating teams from both nations would "immediately" commence work on addressing tariffs and other pertinent issues.