Brazil Court Orders House Arrest for Bolsonaro Associates

Brazil’s Supreme Court Issues House Arrest Orders for 10 Convicted Officials

In a move related to the ongoing trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s top court has issued house arrest orders for 10 individuals convicted of participating in a plot to prevent Bolsonaro from leaving office after his election defeat in 2022. The decision was made by Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes on Saturday.

The 10 officials, who had been free despite their conviction due to ongoing appeals, were ordered to remain at home under house arrest. They will also be prohibited from using social media, contacting others currently under investigation, or receiving visits. Additionally, they are required to surrender their passports and firearm permits.

Former police commander Silvinei Vasques, who was extradited to Brazil on Friday night after attempting to flee to El Salvador using a fake Paraguayan passport, is among those affected by the decision. Vasques had been convicted in connection with the plot and was being held in pre-trial detention.

The Supreme Court’s decision comes after authorities in neighboring Paraguay arrested Vasques as he attempted to board a flight to El Salvador. The 10 individuals who were issued house arrest orders had previously faced cautionary measures, such as wearing ankle monitors or being restricted to specific locations.

Bolsonaro, who has been serving prison time since November, was hospitalized on Wednesday after undergoing double hernia surgery and is currently undergoing treatment for persistent hiccups. His wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, reported that he was experiencing daily hiccups for nine months following a stabbing incident in 2018.

The trials against Bolsonaro and several generals and police officers accused of participating in the plot have been closely followed in Brazil, where democracy was reinstated in 1985 after decades of military rule.

Source: Al Jazeera