Bolsonaro nabbed during house arrest

Tampered with ankle bracelet, court says

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Flavio Bolsonaro, son of Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro, speaks to supporters at a vigil following Bolsonaro's detention by Federal Police, ending months of house arrest, in Brasilia, Brazil, on Saturday.

(REUTERS)

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro — under house arrest while appealing a conviction for a foiled coup attempt — was taken into custody Saturday after the Supreme Court ruled he posed a high flight risk.

The court said the far-right former leader — sentenced to 27 yearsin prison over a scheme to stop leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office after the 2022 elections — had attempted to disable his ankle monitor in order to flee.

Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes said Bolsonaro’s detention was a preventive measure while final appeals are still pending.

Ina video released by the court, Bolsonaro admitted using a soldering iron on the monitoring bracelet out of “curiosity.” The video showed the device badly damaged and burned, though still attached to his ankle.

The 70-year-old Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, has been under house arrest since August and confined to an upscale condominium in the capital Brasilia.