Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, was arrested on Saturday, October 22, at his residence in Brasília. The arrest was requested by the Federal Police (PF) and sanctioned by Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF). This action represents a preventive measure rather than the execution of a 27-year and three-month prison sentence related to his alleged attempt to orchestrate a coup against the government.
Unmarked police vehicles approached Bolsonaro’s home, situated in a condominium in Jardim Botânico, and he was escorted to the PF headquarters shortly after 6:35 AM. Reports indicate that a vigil organized by Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, outside the former president’s residence may have influenced the decision to issue a preventive arrest.
Following his arrest, Bolsonaro underwent a body examination at the National Institute of Criminalistics (INC) of the PF. Minister Moraes has mandated that the preventive arrest be carried out without handcuffs and outside the public eye, emphasizing the need to treat the former president with respect for his dignity.
Furthermore, the decision for preventive detention will be reviewed by the First Chamber of the STF in an extraordinary virtual session scheduled for October 24. The legal documents also revealed that Bolsonaro attempted to remove his electronic monitoring bracelet late Saturday night, suggesting plans for an escape.
In response to the events surrounding her husband’s arrest, Michelle Bolsonaro took to social media to express her faith, posting a message with a psalm: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where my help comes,” and emphasizing her trust in the divine.
This situation marks a significant chapter in Brazil’s political landscape, as the implications of Bolsonaro’s legal troubles continue to evolve.