Brazil's Supreme Court Keeps Bolsonaro Behind Bars: Flight Risk Concerns Rise

Brazil's Supreme Court voted to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in police custody, deeming him a flight risk after tampering with his ankle monitor. Bolsonaro is appealing a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Justices cited a breach of electronic monitoring as a precautionary concern.

In a decisive move, Brazil's Supreme Court panel ruled to maintain former President Jair Bolsonaro in police custody, citing him as a flight risk. This verdict follows his breach of house arrest conditions after allegedly tampering with his ankle monitor with a soldering iron.

The decision came after Justice Alexandre de Moraes, backed by Justices Flavio Dino and Cristiano Zanin, underscored security concerns arising from Bolsonaro's actions. The ruling highlights an escalation from his previous 100 days under house arrest.

The former right-wing leader, sentenced to over 27 years for attempting a coup post his 2022 electoral defeat, attributed his actions to medicine-induced paranoia. However, the court remained firm, pointing to potential risks to police monitoring.

(With inputs from agencies.)