MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolsonaro cites mental disorders for tampering with tracking device

Bolsonaro's detention was upheld on Sunday pending an STF hearing on Monday

During a custody hearing on Sunday afternoon, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he was under the effects of his psychiatric medication when he tried to remove his ankle tracking device, resulting in his house arrest's suppression and actual incarceration at a Federal Police facility.

Assistant Judge Luciana Yuki Fugishita Sorrentino upheld the arrest warrant for Bolsonaro, finding that there was “no abuse or irregularity on the part of the police.”

Bolsonaro confirmed that he tampered with his electronic gadget due to a “certain paranoia from Friday to Saturday” because of medications he has been taking, prescribed by different doctors, which “interacted inappropriately.” The medications in question are the anticonvulsant Pregabalin and the antidepressant Sertraline.

The defendant also stated that “he had no intention of escaping and that there was no breakage of the strap.”

During the custody hearing, the former president said that as soon as he regained his mental clarity, he stopped tampering with the instrument.

“The witness stated that, around midnight, he tampered with the ankle bracelet, then 'came to his senses' and stopped using the soldering iron, at which point he informed the agents in charge of his custody,” reports the document containing Jair Bolsonaro's testimony.

The former president confirmed that he was accompanied by his daughter, his older brother, and an advisor who were sleeping at his residence and that none of them witnessed the use of the iron.

Regarding the vigil called by his son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), the former president replied that the vigil site was 700 meters from his home, “making it impossible to create any disturbance that could facilitate a hypothetical escape.”

On Monday, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) will review the decision to place Bolsonaro in preventive detention. STF Minister Flávio Dino has called an extraordinary virtual session of the First Panel to ratify the measure.

Bolsonaro was preventively arrested by the Federal Police (PF) on Saturday, following Justice Alexandre De Moraes' ruling, citing the flight risk in light of Bolsonaro's actions and the vigil called by his son.

Sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison in the criminal case involving the coup plot, Bolsonaro and the other defendants may have their sentences enforced in the coming weeks. Last week, the First Panel of the Court rejected the so-called motions for clarification filed by the former president and six other defendants to reverse the convictions and avoid serving their sentences in detention facilities. (Source: Agencia Brasil)