Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, convicted of orchestrating a coup attempt, has attributed his recent actions to medication-induced ‘paranoia,’ claiming it led him to damage his ankle monitor. Bolsonaro, 70, admitted during a hearing in Brasília that he attempted to open the monitor with a soldering iron before regaining his composure. He insisted he had no intention of fleeing. Authorities deemed him a flight risk, especially with a planned vigil by supporters outside his residence, prompting his transfer from house arrest to detention. Bolsonaro is currently held at a police station in the capital. In September, he was sentenced to over 27 years in prison for his role in a failed coup plot aimed at retaining power after losing the 2022 election to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Supreme Court revealed that Bolsonaro was aware of a conspiracy involving plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to execute Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees his trial. The plot failed to gain military support, and Lula was inaugurated without incident on January 1, 2023. However, a week later, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília, leading to 1,500 arrests. The justices concluded that Bolsonaro incited the rioters, hoping the military would intervene to restore him to power. Bolsonaro has been barred from public office until 2060, eight years after his sentence ends. He dismissed the trial as a ‘witch hunt’ to prevent his potential 2026 presidential run. His legal troubles have also drawn criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in response.