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Bolsonaro Cites 'Hallucinations' in Ankle Monitor Tampering as Supreme Court Keeps Him Detained

A Supreme Court panel will review the detention order following police reports that the tracking device was found burned and damaged.

Overview

  • At a custody hearing, Jair Bolsonaro told an assistant judge that a recent medication change caused paranoia and led him to use a soldering iron on his ankle monitor before he stopped and notified officers.
  • Police said a 12:08 a.m. alert flagged a breach and officers later documented clear damage and burn marks on the device, according to court records and video.
  • Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro detained as a high flight risk, noting the breach and a planned vigil near his home that could complicate monitoring.
  • Bolsonaro is being held at federal police headquarters in Brasilia, where he received visits from his wife, a doctor, and a lawyer, as supporters rallied outside.
  • He remains convicted of plotting to block the 2022 transfer of power and faces a 27-year sentence, with his defense pursuing appeals as the panel vote on preventive detention is scheduled for Monday.