Jair Bolsonaro has claimed that a sudden episode of drug-induced paranoia caused him to damage the ankle monitor he was required to wear under house arrest. He told a judge he believed the device had been turned into a concealed listening instrument.
The former president was arrested on Saturday after security officials detected interference with the device tracking his movements. Authorities feared he was preparing to flee to a foreign embassy to avoid beginning his 27-year sentence.
Bolsonaro has been under house arrest since August following a Supreme Court conviction for masterminding a failed coup. Officials had anticipated transferring him to prison within days of the incident.
During Sunday’s custody hearing, the 70-year-old said he had recently started using a strong painkiller and an antidepressant. He claimed the combination caused him to hallucinate that the monitor was bugged.
Political analysts questioned the believability of his testimony, pointing out that in earlier footage Bolsonaro admitted he tampered with the monitor “out of curiosity.” His remaining foreign allies also offered limited support after news of his arrest.