Ex-President Collor Arrested: A Timeline of Corruption Charges

Former Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello was arrested in Maceio after a Supreme Court justice ordered his arrest. Collor faces an eight-year sentence for corruption and money laundering related to Petrobras bribery. Initially impeached in 1992, he recently lost a bid for governor.

Fernando Collor de Mello, the former president of Brazil, was arrested in Maceio on Friday after a Supreme Court ruling against his appeal on a previous conviction. The arrest was confirmed by his lawyer, Marcelo Bessa, who stated that Collor was taken into custody early in the morning while en route to the capital, Brasilia.

The Supreme Court's decision stems from Collor's conviction for corruption and money laundering linked to the Petrobras scandal. In 2023, he received a sentence of eight years and 10 months for accepting bribes. Despite this, Collor's legal team expressed surprise at the arrest order but noted his commitment to comply.

Collor's political career has been marked by controversy. After becoming the first democratically elected president post-military dictatorship in 1990, he was impeached two years later over corruption allegations but acquitted by the Supreme Court in 1994. He served as a senator until early 2023.

(With inputs from agencies.)