Jailhouse Surprise: Brazil's FormerPresident Jair Bolsonaro Faces Life Behind Bars
He contested the law and the law triumphed.
Sixty days following getting a twenty-seven-year sentence for seeking to “eradicate” Brazil’s democracy, one-time leader Jair Bolsonaro now looks destined for incarceration.
Expected Jailing
The adjudicated coup-monger – who had been living under home confinement in his mansion while a set of court processes and petitions proceed – is largely predicted to be jailed in the coming days, amidst growing rumors that he will be transferred to a infamous top-security facility.
Previous Statements on Prisoners
Over Bolsonaro’s 40-year time in politics, the right-wing ex- military man showed scant compassion for Brazil’s jailed individuals.
“For what reason must we provide those scoundrels a easy time?” he previously wondered. “They ought to simply be messed, full-fucking-stop. That's my opinion.”
On another occasion, Bolsonaro stated: “Unless you desire to finish there, all you have to do is to avoid sexual assault, kidnap or theft.”
Jail Facility Debate
But the prospect of Bolsonaro himself landing in the Papuda prison maximum security prison in Brasília has appalled backers, four of whom this week inspected the prison in an seeming bid to prevent the judiciary from transferring him there.
Izalci Lucas, a lawmaker from Bolsonaro’s Liberal party who was one of the visitors, stated he predicted the 70-year-old politician to be incarcerated in the next 10 days and feared his assigned prison could be Papuda.
He asserted Bolsonaro’s serious gut issues – the outcome of a life-threatening stabbing during the last political campaign – meant it would be dangerous to keep the one-time head of state there. “His [health] situation is extremely serious. He will not be able to handle it if they send him to Papuda … It would be awful,” said the senator, who also expressed concern about cramped cells and the quality of jail cuisine.
During his tour Papuda, Lucas remembered seeing cells accommodating four dozen detainees: “That is virtually one square metre per detainee.
“We spoke to the prisoners and they protest, of course, of the terrible food,” remarked the senator.
Allies Voice Concerns
Lucas is not the only voice voicing opinions prior to the one-time head of state's anticipated detention.
Writing in a leading daily, one more backer, the former communications minister Fábio Wajngarten, bemoaned the “harsh” finale to Bolsonaro’s “impeccable” time in office and claimed Brazil was about to witness “the biggest political injustice in its history”.
“It represents an wrong that gnaws the spirits of countless of Brazilians,” the former minister said.
Mixed Popular Opinion
It is possibly accurate considering the considerable support Bolsonaro maintains on the right-wing. Yet his predicted incarceration has also warmed the hearts of millions other people who feel he deserves to be incarcerated for planning to prevent the elected leader from becoming president – and additionally conspiring to have him assassinated.
The lawmaker, a politician for the incumbent leader's Workers’ party, said: “Nobody wants Bolsonaro to be sent in a dungeon. Nobody wants Bolsonaro to be placed in segregation. Nobody wants Bolsonaro to go hungry or for him to have to rest on hard ground. We desire him to obtain proper handling – but respectful handling in prison. He must not continue being his self-appointed guard for his entire life.”
The congressman noted how Bolsonaro supporters, who have for a long time celebrating the harsh treatment of inmates, had suddenly realized to their rights. “Recently has the conservative fringe – which has repeatedly claimed that human rights are not for lawbreakers – chosen to inspect a penitentiary to discover what conditions are really like,” he said.
“Bolsonaro is a offender,” he affirmed, but that did not mean he deserved “shameful, degrading conduct”.
Potential Incarceration Facilities
In spite of talk that Bolsonaro could be moved to Papuda, which presently contains about fourteen thousand inmates, his probable destination seems to be a nearby penitentiary for police officers and other “particular” detainees referred to as Papudinha (Little Papuda).
Its cells are considerably more pleasant than those in the primary facility, although still a far cry from the luxury Bolsonaro had while occupying the spectacular presidential palace, around 12 miles away.
Based on reports, the room Bolsonaro could expect to reside in in Papudinha is about 24 sq metres – roughly the size of vehicle spaces – and features a 12 square meter bathroom with a bathing area and a 12 square meter balcony. “He could be allowed to have a set and even a cooler in his quarters as long as they were donated by his relatives,” sources stated.
Political Reactions
Senator Lucas denounced the rumoured proposal to send the former leader to Papuda as “a type of revenge” on the part of the supreme court judge who presided over Bolsonaro’s legal case and will rule on his outcome in the {