Jair Bolsonaro has attempted to justify damaging his electronic ankle monitor by claiming he was hallucinating and believed the device was spying on him.
The former president was arrested early Saturday after authorities discovered signs that the tracking equipment had been tampered with. Officials feared a potential attempt to seek asylum in a foreign embassy.
Bolsonaro has been living under house arrest since his conviction for orchestrating a coup. A 27-year sentence awaits him, and security teams had been closely watching for any escape attempt.
During Sunday’s hearing, Bolsonaro said he had recently begun taking new medications—a pain reliever and an antidepressant—which he believes caused a sudden psychotic episode. Under this delusion, he tried to pry open the device with a hand tool.
Analysts cast doubt on the claim, noting previous footage in which Bolsonaro provided a different explanation. International reactions remained muted, indicating waning support from his former allies.
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