Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has authorized the transfer of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro to house arrest for a 90-day period, citing deteriorating health conditions. The 71-year-old leader, currently serving a 27-year sentence for leading a conspiracy to maintain power, was hospitalized two weeks ago with pneumonia requiring intensive care treatment.
Medical evaluations indicate Bolsonaro’s recurrent health complications originate primarily from a 2018 knife attack that continues to cause ongoing medical issues. His legal team successfully argued that humanitarian considerations warranted temporary relocation from his prison cell to home confinement under strict monitoring conditions.
The court mandate requires Bolsonaro to wear an ankle monitor throughout the house arrest period and imposes severe communication restrictions. The former president is prohibited from using telephones or social media platforms, and visitation rights are limited exclusively to family members, legal representatives, and medical professionals during specified time windows.
This decision reverses previous denials of similar requests and follows an incident in November when Bolsonaro attempted to remove his electronic monitor using a soldering iron—behavior he attributed to medication-induced paranoia. Justice Moraes, who originally presided over Bolsonaro’s conviction case, determined the former president posed a flight risk during earlier proceedings but now acknowledges the severity of his medical condition.
The house arrest arrangement will be reevaluated upon completion of the 90-day period, with potential return to prison facilities if health improvements warrant such action. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro continues influencing Brazilian politics from confinement, endorsing his son Flávio Bolsonaro’s presidential campaign despite his own disqualification from public office. Recent polling indicates the younger Bolsonaro has gained significant traction, potentially challenging incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a prospective runoff election.