Brazil’s ex-president and polarising firebrand Bolsonaro behind bars

Jair Bolsonaro always swore he would never be imprisoned.

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This trademark defiance crumbled as the man who rose from fringe firebrand to president and reshaped Brazilian politics began serving a 27-year sentence for a failed coup bid.

Bolsonaro, a former army captain, once electrified supporters with his gloves-off style, while drawing criticism for comments slamming gays, demeaning women and praising Brazil’s dictatorship years.

The 70-year-old cut a far more subdued figure as he began his sentence, with warnings from his family over his “extremely fragile” mental and physical health.

Just days earlier, Bolsonaro claimed a medication-induced bout of paranoia led him to try to sever his ankle monitoring bracelet with a soldering iron while under house arrest.

The Supreme Court saw this as an attempt to escape his imminent imprisonment.

Bolsonaro was convicted in September over a scheme to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking power after he lost a reelection bid in 2022.

Judges found that the plot - which included plans to assassinate Mr Lula - only failed because it did not have enough support from military top brass.

Bolsonaro maintains his innocence, claiming he is the victim of political persecution.