Jailed Bolsonaro granted ‘humanitarian house arrest’ amid failing health

Former Brazil president, serving 27 years over attempted coup, given initial 90-day period that could be extended
The decision by supreme court justice Alexandre de Moraes followed Bolsonaro’s hospitalization since 13 March for pneumonia, one of several health problems the former leader has faced since he was stabbed by a man in 2018 before he was elected president.

Bolsonaro recently was put in intensive care for a few days because of kidney problems and other issues.

His doctors did not say when he would leave the hospital in Brasília, but his overall condition has improved.

In the decision, Moraes said the house arrest was going to last for an initial period of 90 days.

“After this period, the presence of the requirements necessary for maintaining humanitarian house arrest will be reassessed, including a medical examination if needed,” the justice wrote.

Lawyers for the rightwing leader, who governed from 2019 to 2022, had long sought Moraes’s permission for him to serve his sentence under “humanitarian house arrest”, but the justice had previously denied all requests.

On Monday, Paulo Gonet, Brazil’s attorney general, paved the way for Bolsonaro to be put in house imprisonment instead of returning to prison.

One of Bolsonaro’s sons, senator Flávio Bolsonaro, has said he will run for the presidency in October.

Polls show he is in a dead heat with incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Historically, Brazil’s supreme court only reverses house arrest if a detainee’s health improves dramatically, or if there is violation of the established rules, such as not making public statements, posting on social media or giving interviews to the media.