Bolsonaro Damaged Ankle Monitor with Soldering Iron "Out of Curiosity"

former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was taken into custody Saturday following allegations he attempted to tamper with his court-ordered electronic ankle monitor. Court documents and video footage released by the Supreme Court show Bolsonaro using a soldering iron on the device,claiming it was done “out of curiosity.” The incident raises new questions about the former president’s commitment to legal proceedings as he faces multiple investigations, including allegations of attempting to overturn the 2022 election and concerns he posed a flight risk [[1]].

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro damaged his ankle monitor with a soldering iron, claiming it was “out of curiosity.” The incident occurred shortly before his arrest on suspicion of posing a flight risk.

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        <p>Jair <a href="https://www.diepresse.com/thema/jair-bolsonaro" data-tracking="at-link" data-tracking-data="{" event="" click="" article="" besch="" fu="" mit="" l="">Bolsonaro</a>, the former president of Brazil, reportedly used a soldering iron to tamper with the electronic monitoring device he was required to wear while under house arrest. “I put hot iron on it. Out of curiosity,” Bolsonaro told an official during a check of the device, according to video footage released by the Supreme Court. When asked if it was an iron, Bolsonaro responded: “No, a soldering iron.”</p>

Herausgegeben von der zuständigen brasilianischen Behörde: Eine Aufnahme der Fußfessel von Jair Bolsonaro, nach dem Kontakt mit dem Lötkolben. Reuters / Seape

Bolsonaro insisted he did not intend to remove the device, which he was required to wear while under house arrest. The video shows the approximately four-inch plastic casing of the device visibly scorched around his ankle, though officials stated the device itself appeared to remain functional.

The former president was taken into custody Saturday morning on suspicion of a “concrete flight risk” and a “threat to public order.” This arrest is separate from a September conviction for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2022 election results, which carried a sentence of over 27 years in prison. That conviction is still under appeal, and authorities had anticipated its enforcement next week.

Investigators said the decision to arrest Bolsonaro stemmed from new evidence obtained by federal police. The ankle monitor reportedly triggered an alarm shortly after midnight, indicating a possible tampering attempt. Adding to the concerns, Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, had previously called for a nighttime vigil outside his father’s residence.

According to Federal Judge Alexandre de Moraes, a large gathering during the vigil could have complicated monitoring of the house arrest and potentially allowed Bolsonaro to flee, possibly to the embassy of a friendly nation like the United States, where he could seek to avoid prosecution. The judge subsequently ordered Bolsonaro’s preventative detention.

The United States, under the Trump administration, had been a strong supporter of the right-wing former military officer, who continues to dispute his 2022 election loss. Brazil’s Supreme Court has accused Bolsonaro of conspiring with military officials and political allies to attempt a coup against his leftist successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Washington has accused the Brazilian judiciary of conducting a politically motivated campaign against Bolsonaro.

Following the former president’s arrest, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Landau described Judge Moraes as a human rights violator, alleging his “provocative” actions had brought shame upon the Supreme Court. “The United States is deeply concerned about his recent assault on the rule of law and political stability in Brazil,” Landau wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Paulo Cunha Bueno, offered no explanation for the damage to the ankle monitor. He maintained that the “prayer vigil” was a constitutionally protected religious event. Despite the evidence released by the Supreme Court and Bolsonaro’s own statements regarding the use of a soldering iron, the lawyer characterized the situation as a distorted portrayal by the judiciary, attempting “to justify the unjustifiable.” (APA /dpa)

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