Prison Surprise: The Ex-President Jair Bolsonaro Faces Time Behind Bars

He battled justice and the legal system triumphed.

A couple of months after receiving a 27-year sentence for seeking to “annihilate” Brazil’s democratic institutions, former president Jair Bolsonaro finally seems destined for incarceration.

Expected Imprisonment

The found-guilty coup-monger – who had been subject to house arrest in his residence while a number of court processes and appeals unfold – is broadly anticipated to be imprisoned in the near future, amid mounting talk that he will be moved to a notorious high-security prison.

Past Statements on Convicts

During Bolsonaro’s four-decade political career, the far-right ex- soldier showed minimal mercy for the country's prison population.

“What’s the need to give these dirtbags a good life?” he previously wondered. “They should just get messed, period. That's my opinion.”

On another occasion, Bolsonaro declared: “If you don’t want to wind up there, the only thing required is not rape, abduction or rob.”

Jail Location Discussion

But the possibility of Bolsonaro himself ending up in the Papuda maximum security prison in Brasília has shocked supporters, four of whom this week inspected the prison in an obvious bid to dissuade the supreme court from sending him there.

The senator, a politician from Bolsonaro’s political party who was part of that quartet, said he expected the septuagenarian figure to be incarcerated in the next 10 days and was concerned his assigned prison could be Papuda.

Lucas claimed Bolsonaro’s serious intestinal problems – the outcome of a life-threatening assault during the 2018 presidential election race – implied it would be hazardous to keep the one-time head of state there. “His health is highly critical. He will not be able to handle it if they take him to Papuda … It could be dreadful,” he commented, who also expressed concern about packed cells and the condition of prison meals.

While visiting Papuda, Lucas remembered seeing cells accommodating four dozen detainees: “That’s almost one square metre per detainee.

“We spoke to the inmates and they protest, naturally, of the horrible cuisine,” continued the senator.

Allies Speak Out

The senator isn't the sole person voicing opinions before the former president’s anticipated detention.

Writing in a prominent publication, a different supporter, the former cabinet member Fábio Wajngarten, lamented the “brutal” conclusion to Bolsonaro’s “impeccable” time in office and asserted Brazil was about to witness “the biggest unfairness in its history”.

“This is an wrong that erodes the souls of millions Brazilian citizens,” the former minister said.

Mixed Public Opinion

That may be true given the substantial backing Bolsonaro maintains on the Brazilian right. However his anticipated jailing has also warmed the feelings of many other people who think he should be jailed for conspiring to prevent the elected leader from becoming president – and additionally scheming to have him assassinated.

The lawmaker, a politician for the incumbent administration's Workers’ party, said: “Nobody wishes Bolsonaro to be placed in a hole. Not a soul wants Bolsonaro to be placed in isolation. Not a soul wants Bolsonaro to lack food or for him to have to rest on hard ground. We want him to receive proper treatment – but dignified treatment in prison. He cannot persist being his self-appointed guard for his entire life.”

Otoni was struck by how Bolsonaro supporters, who have long celebrating the harsh conditions of convicts, had unexpectedly woken up to their entitlements. “Recently has the far-right – which has repeatedly argued that civil liberties should not be for criminals – opted to visit a prison to find out what circumstances are really like,” he said.

“The former president is a criminal,” Otoni insisted, but that did not mean he earned “humiliating, degrading handling”.

Potential Prison Conditions

Despite rumors that Bolsonaro could be transferred to Papuda, which presently holds about fourteen thousand detainees, his more likely destination seems to be a close penitentiary for officers and other “particular” inmates known as Papudinha (Small Papuda).

His potential cell are far more pleasant than those in the primary facility, although nevertheless a distant from the comfort Bolsonaro enjoyed while living in the stunning official residence, approximately 12 miles away.

According to information, the accommodation Bolsonaro could anticipate inhabit in Papudinha has about 24 sq metres – about the size of a couple of car spots – and contains a 12 square meter WC with a bathing area and a 130 square foot veranda. “Bolsonaro would be authorized to have a TV and additionally a minibar in his quarters as long as they were donated by his relatives,” the report indicated.

Partisan Reactions

He denounced the speculated plan to send the ex-president to Papuda as “a type of revenge” on the part of the supreme court judge who presided over Bolsonaro’s proceedings and will determine his outcome in the {

James Stephenson
James Stephenson

A Berlin-based writer and cultural enthusiast with a passion for uncovering hidden gems in German cities and sharing travel experiences.