Key facts
- Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled former President Jair Bolsonaro can remain under house arrest.
- Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.
- The decision cited health concerns and the need for better medical care at home.
- Moraes noted Bolsonaro's health has improved during his house arrest.
- Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet had recommended continuing the house arrest.
Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ruled that former President Jair Bolsonaro will remain under house arrest due to health concerns. Bolsonaro, 71, is currently serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup following his loss in the 2022 election to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The defense successfully argued that Bolsonaro, who has a history of health issues including being stabbed during a 2018 campaign event, would receive better medical care at home. Moraes stated in his decision that the continuation of humanitarian house arrest appeared reasonable, appropriate, and proportionate, noting that Bolsonaro's health had improved while serving the sentence at home.
In March, Bolsonaro was granted permission to serve 90 days under house arrest on medical grounds after a hospitalization for pneumonia. The recent ruling offers relief to Bolsonaro, especially after an incident last month where a firearm owned by him was seized from a security detail member. Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet had previously recommended that Bolsonaro remain under house arrest, even after the firearm incident, and Moraes agreed, finding no evidence of serious misconduct during his initial house arrest period.