Brazil's Supreme Court recognizes flight risk and mandates the use of an electronic ankle monitor for Jair Bolsonaro.
Jair Bolsonaro was the target of a search and seizure operation by the Federal Police this Friday.
Pedro Peduzzi and Felipe Pontes – Reporters for Agência Brasil
The Federal Police carried out two search and seizure warrants this Friday morning (18) at addresses linked to former president Jair Bolsonaro.
He was taken to the State Secretariat of Penitentiary Administration to have an electronic ankle monitor fitted.
According to the ruling, in addition to having to wear an ankle monitor, Bolsonaro is prohibited from using social media.
He will need to stay home between 19 PM and 6 AM, and is prohibited from communicating with other defendants or with ambassadors and diplomats from other countries. Furthermore, he may not leave the Federal District judicial district.
The former president already had his passport seized in February 2024.
Defender
In a statement, the former president's defense team said they received the application of such precautionary measures "with surprise and indignation."
"The defense team of former President Jair Bolsonaro received with surprise and indignation the imposition of severe precautionary measures against him, who until now has always complied with all the determinations of the Judiciary. The defense will comment in due course, after learning of the judicial decision."
Em post In a post on social media, the leader of the Liberal Party (PL) in the Chamber of Deputies, Sóstenes Cavalcante, lamented the court's decision mandating the use of an electronic ankle monitor.
The Liberal Party (PL) also released a statement expressing "surprise and outrage" at the Federal Police operation. According to the statement, signed by the party's president, Valdemar Costa Neto, Jair Bolsonaro "has always been available to the authorities."
The launch of the operation was reported in a short note by the PF, released this Friday (18).
According to the note, “two search and seizure warrants, in addition to precautionary measures other than arrest, in compliance with the decision of the Supreme Federal Court, within the scope of PET No. 14129”.
Understand
Bolsonaro is a defendant in a series of investigations related to the coup plot that culminated in the criminal acts committed on January 8, 2023, with the aim of preventing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from winning a third term.
The former president reportedly even participated in drafting the document known as the "coup minutes," which called for declaring a state of siege at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). This document was seized from the home of former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, as well as from the headquarters of Bolsonaro's party (PL) and from the cell phone of former aide-de-camp Mauro Cid.
There are also accusations that he had "full knowledge" of the plan called "Green and Yellow Dagger," which involved actions to assassinate President Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
He is also accused of spreading fake news about the Brazilian electoral system. According to the investigation, the former president even ordered former Defense Minister Paulo Sergio Nogueira to produce a report suggesting possible fraud in electronic voting machines.
In other investigations, Bolsonaro was forced to return to the federal government jewelry he allegedly received as gifts from foreign officials while he was still president. Some of these jewels were supposed to be sent to the presidential collection, but they ended up being sold, according to Mauro Cid.
According to the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF), the sale of these jewels constitutes the crime of embezzlement, characterized by the appropriation of public assets for personal gain.
More recently, Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo Bolsonaro were accused of coordinating with the US government to impose punitive measures on Brazil should the Supreme Federal Court insist on investigating the former president. This coordination allegedly resulted in the tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump against Brazilian products.
