Brazil court votes to uphold Bolsonaro jailing after ‘attempt to flee’

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Monday voted to uphold the imprisonment of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was detained over the weekend for tampering with his ankle monitor using a soldering iron.

Bolsonaro was taken into custody on Saturday from his home where he had been under house arrest after a judge declared him a flight risk as he appeals a 27-year sentence for plotting a failed coup.

The far-right firebrand was convicted in September over a scheme to stop President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office after the 2022 elections that included an assassination plot against the leftist leader.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled on Monday that Bolsonaro had “wilfully and consciously violated the electronic monitoring equipment”.

The three other justices in the court’s first chamber also voted to uphold Bolsonaro’s detention, which will become official once the virtual session ends at 11pm local time.

Moraes reiterated that there had been “very serious indications of a possible attempt to flee” during a planned vigil organised by Bolsonaro’s son outside his home.

  

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