Jair Bolsonaro has told a judge that a sudden medication-induced panic attack led him to damage his electronic ankle monitor. He claimed he briefly believed the device was bugged and listening to his conversations.
The former president was arrested at his home early Saturday after security teams detected tampering with the tracking device. Officials feared he was preparing to flee to a foreign embassy to avoid his 27-year prison sentence.
Bolsonaro has been confined to his Brasília residence since his conviction for attempting to carry out a coup. With appeals nearly exhausted, authorities were bracing for his imminent imprisonment.
During the custody hearing, Bolsonaro said he had begun taking both a strong painkiller and an antidepressant days earlier. He insisted the combination triggered hallucinations that made him distrust the device.
Political observers questioned his defense, noting he had previously said he tampered with the monitor merely “out of curiosity.” International reactions, once supportive, have grown notably subdued.