Federal police arrested Jair Bolsonaro on strong suspicion that he was preparing to flee to a foreign embassy to evade his 27-year prison sentence. The apprehension followed the discovery that he had tampered with the electronic ankle monitor he was required to wear under house arrest.
At a custody hearing, Bolsonaro vehemently denied any plan to seek asylum or flee the country. He explained the device tampering by claiming a drug-induced “psychotic attack” had convinced him the monitor was a secret listening device. He admitted to using a soldering iron in a misguided attempt to disable the supposed spy gear.
The former president’s bizarre testimony is met with deep doubt from political analysts, particularly because it replaces his prior, simpler excuse of acting “out of curiosity.” His explanation involves a mix of a strong painkiller and an antidepressant.