Ex Brazil president Bolsonaro detained after Supreme Court flags risk of fleeing
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was taken into federal custody on 22 November 2025, ending a period of house arrest as he appeals a Supreme Court conviction for plotting a coup.
The preventive arrest was ordered by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who cited concerns that a planned vigil by supporters could disrupt surveillance.
Bolsonaro had been sentenced in September to 27 years and three months in prison for his role in a coup attempt after losing the 2022 election. Authorities pointed to evidence that his ankle monitor had been tampered with, raising fears he could flee the country. His lawyers strongly objected to the detention, claiming the planned event was a “prayer vigil” and citing his constitutional right to religious gathering.
In the court’s ruling, Justice de Moraes warned that an encampment by Bolsonaro’s supporters could jeopardise public security and obstruct the terms of his house arrest. Bolsonaro’s appeal against his sentence is currently under consideration by a panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court, which has refused to reduce his term to date. The arrest marks a critical moment in Brazil’s political landscape, underscoring deep divisions and continuing international attention on the rule of law in Latin America.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
