Brazil: Bolsonaro admits to tampering with ankle tracker ‘out of curiosity’

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro—currently detained over suspicions that he was planning to escape while appealing his conviction for an attempted coup—admitted on Saturday that he deliberately tampered with his ankle monitor “out of curiosity.”

In footage released by the country’s supreme court, Bolsonaro, who has been handed a 27-year prison sentence for his role in a plot to block Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from assuming office after the 2022 elections, described how he tried using a soldering iron on the electronic bracelet.

The video shows the device burnt on the edges and heavily damaged, though still attached to his ankle.

According to the court, he tried to disable his electronic ankle monitor in what they believe was a plan to escape.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered his preventive detention, citing both the tampering incident and concerns about a demonstration planned near Bolsonaro’s residence. The rally had been called by his eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who urged supporters to “fight for your country.” Moraes warned the gathering could create chaos “conducive to his escape.”

Flavio Bolsonaro, in a livestream, accused Moraes of endangering his father’s life, suggesting the damage to the device could have stemmed from “desperation” or “shame.” He also hinted that Bolsonaro’s close proximity to the US embassy raised fears he might seek asylum—a concern echoed in the court order. Bolsonaro is a close ally of US president Donald Trump, who dismissed the latest developments, saying, “That’s too bad.”

The 70-year-old former leader has been moved to a federal police complex in Brasília for medical evaluations before being transferred to a prison facility. A source familiar with the case shared images of the modest holding quarters equipped with basic amenities including a mini-fridge and television.

Outside the police headquarters, reactions were sharply divided. Some opponents celebrated with sparkling wine, calling the arrest long overdue. Supporters, wrapped in Brazil’s green and yellow flag, denounced the move as “political persecution.”

Bolsonaro’s detention complicates the political landscape ahead of Brazil’s 2026 presidential race, leaving conservatives without a clear standard-bearer. His lawyers said they plan to appeal, arguing the decision endangers his health, which has been fragile since a stabbing during his 2018 campaign.

The former president has faced mounting legal challenges, including a September conviction for leading a criminal organisation allegedly plotting to assassinate Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice Moraes—part of what prosecutors described as a plan to secure his “authoritarian hold on power.”