Jair Bolsonaro is playing his last card to escape prison after his appeal against his conviction was rejected
The former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. Photo source: Fotoarena / ddp USA / Profimedia
The defense of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro requested the justice system on Friday to allow him to serve his 27-year prison sentence at home for attempted coup, citing his health problems, reports AFP, taken over by Agerpres.
Jair Bolsonaro, 70 years old, has been under house arrest since August and risks being imprisoned in the coming days.
According to the request submitted by his lawyers to the Supreme Court, the imprisonment “will have serious consequences and will represent a risk to his life”. For the defense, permission to serve the sentence at home would be a “humanitarian” measure.
The former far-right president (2019-2022) was left with the effects of a stab wound to the abdomen in 2018 and was diagnosed with skin cancer in September.
The Supreme Court officially rejected Bolsonaro's appeal against his conviction in mid-November. However, the defense still has the opportunity to file additional appeals until early next week. It already announced on Friday that “it will file the appropriate appeals”.
The former head of state was found guilty in September of being the leader of a “criminal organization” that conspired to stay in power through an “authoritarian regime” despite his electoral defeat to current president Lula da Silva in October 2022.
According to the indictment, this plot specifically provided for the assassination of Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and a Supreme Court judge in charge of this case, Alexandre de Moraes. The plot failed, however, due to the lack of support from high-ranking military officials.
