Brazil’s ex-president Bolsonaro says ankle monitor damage caused by paranoia

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro appeared in a brief hearing after being taken into police custody, telling the judge he had no intention of fleeing or removing his electronic ankle monitor. Bolsonaro said a combination of anti-convulsant medications prescribed for chronic hiccups had triggered hallucinations and paranoia, leading him to believe the monitoring device contained listening equipment. Court documents state that around midnight he began manipulating the ankle bracelet and even picked up a soldering iron, but later “came to his senses” and alerted the guards. Despite his explanation, the judge ruled to keep him in custody, noting that officers had followed all legal procedures during his arrest.

Bolsonaro, 70, had been under house arrest since August 4, 2025, following accusations that he tried to lobby foreign governments, including the United States, to interfere in Brazil’s legal system and halt criminal proceedings against him. Police replaced the damaged monitoring device, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered preventive detention, giving Bolsonaro’s lawyers 24 hours to explain the violation. Authorities cited the planned vigil by his supporters outside his home as an additional risk that could have undermined monitoring and created an opportunity for escape. Evidence also indicated that Bolsonaro had considered seeking asylum at the Argentine embassy, and several close allies, including his son Eduardo Bolsonaro, had left Brazil to avoid court proceedings.

Bolsonaro is being held in a 12-square-meter cell at federal police headquarters in Brasilia, equipped with a bed, television, air conditioning, and a private bathroom. His lawyers repeated their request for “humanitarian house arrest,” citing his chronic health issues from a 2018 stabbing that required multiple surgeries. They argued that his actions early on November 22 were caused by a combination of medication, age, and stress, and that he posed no flight risk.

Supporters gathered outside the police station waving banners and flags, denouncing the detention as political persecution. Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle, visited him while traveling to a political event. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defended the Supreme Court, stating that Bolsonaro had been tried and would serve the sentence determined by the court.

Bolsonaro was sentenced in September to 27 years and three months in prison for plotting a coup to overturn the 2022 election, which he lost to Lula. He has not yet been sent to prison in that case because appeals are ongoing and no final arrest warrant has been issued. Internationally, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unaware of Bolsonaro’s detention and described it as “too bad,” while U.S. State Department officials expressed concern, warning that unchecked judicial action could threaten political stability and the rule of law.