Jair Bolsonaro has insisted that he damaged his ankle monitor only because medication sent him into a state of paranoia and hallucination, causing him to believe the device was bugged.
Police detained him early Saturday after an alert indicated tampering. Authorities feared he was gearing up to flee into diplomatic protection.
Since August, Bolsonaro has been under house arrest following a conviction for attempting a coup. His transfer to prison was expected soon, intensifying surveillance efforts.
At the hearing, Bolsonaro said two medications triggered a distortion of reality. Convinced he was being monitored, he used a hand tool to interfere with the device.
Critics questioned the story, highlighting that he previously claimed the tampering was done “out of curiosity.” International reaction was similarly muted.
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Bolsonaro Says Paranoia From Medication Led to Sabotaging Device
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