Brazil’s Bolsonaro moved from house arrest to federal custody

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 14:31

Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro is moved from house arrest to federal custody, deepening the fallout of his coup conviction.

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Former President Jair Bolsonaro, temporarily allowed out of house arrest for medical treatment, departs a hospital in Brasilia, Brazil, on September 14, 2025. (AP)

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was taken into federal police custody on Saturday, ending more than three months of strict house arrest and marking the most dramatic escalation yet in the sweeping judicial reckoning surrounding his failed coup when he attempted to overturn the 2022 election.

Bolsonaro, 70, was detained at dawn at his residence in the upscale Jardim Botanico neighborhood of the capital and transferred to the federal police headquarters in Brasilia. The move came on the request of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the coup-plotting case that resulted in Bolsonaro’s September conviction.

A federal police spokesperson confirmed that the former president was undergoing mandatory intake examinations but declined to provide further details. His lawyer, Celso Vilardi, said he had been informed of the arrest but was given no explanation for why the former leader was transferred from house arrest to preventive detention.

Detention follows coup conviction

Bolsonaro was sentenced in September to 27 years and three months in prison after Brazil’s Supreme Court found him guilty of plotting a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The court concluded that Bolsonaro was the leader and primary beneficiary of a scheme to block Lula from assuming office in January 2023.

Although the conviction has not yet resulted in a final arrest order, Bolsonaro is still entitled to appeal. The former president has been under a separate house-arrest order since early August for violating precautionary measures in a different case involving alleged attempts to solicit US interference to halt investigations against him.

According to a person familiar with the decision, Saturday’s detention is linked to violations of those restrictions and is considered a preventative measure.

Rare weekend court action

Justice de Moraes rarely authorizes major judicial actions on Saturdays unless there is a significant security concern. The timing suggests authorities believed there was a risk of unrest.

Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, has been urging supporters since Thursday to mobilize “in defense” of his father.

Police are bracing for demonstrations outside their headquarters throughout the weekend. Bolsonaro’s base, which claims he is being targeted for political reasons, has already signaled plans for rallies.

Health concerns

Bolsonaro’s lawyers are expected to renew their petition for him to serve his sentence under house arrest, citing his long list of health issues, many stemming from the stabbing he survived during his 2018 presidential campaign. His hospitalizations and surgeries since then have been frequent and medically documented.

Brazilian law requires that all individuals sentenced to prison begin their sentences in a correctional facility, meaning Saturday’s detention does not automatically determine where he will ultimately serve his term. But the transfer marks the clearest indication yet that the court does not intend to allow the former far-right leader to remain at home during the appeals process.

Bolsonaro has also been banned from holding public office until 2030 after Brazil’s top electoral court ruled he abused his authority during the 2022 campaign. Despite this, polls indicate he would remain a competitive figure if allowed to run.

International dimensions

Bolsonaro’s continued legal troubles have spilled into Brazil–US relations.

US President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, has repeatedly called the legal proceedings a “witch hunt.” Earlier this year, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on several Brazilian imports in response to the coup case and sanctioned Justice de Moraes, though Trump began rolling back those measures earlier this month.

Bolsonaro’s conviction stems from a wide-ranging investigation into a network of military officers, aides, and political allies who prosecutors say planned to kill President Lula, prevent the transfer of power, and ignite an insurrection in early 2023. Bolsonaro has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing.