Brazil: Court orders Bolsonaro to wear an electronic ankle bracelet

The Brazilian Supreme Court ordered Jair Bolsonaro to wear an electronic bracelet while it continues to collect data and information leading to the indictment of the former Brazilian president for allegedly attempting to perpetrate a coup d'état in 2022.

This Friday, Judge Alexandre de Moraes, head of the case and member of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Brazil's highest judicial body, assured that Bolsonaro incited a crowd to commit "hostile acts" against the country when the former president was defeated at the polls against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

With the implementation of this electronic ankle bracelet, Bolsonaro will not be able to leave Brazil and will be traceable 24 hours a day.

"No use of social media, no talking to diplomats, ..."

The former Brazilian president received numerous messages of support as soon as he learned of Judge de Moraes' order. One of the most significant was that of his son Eduardo, who listed each and every one of the prohibitions imposed by the judge on his father.

"Alexandre de Moraes double down and after Bolsonaro's video to [Donald Trump] yesterday, Moraes ordered today to [Jair Bolsonaro]: 1-Wear electronic ankle bracelet; 2-He cannot leave house between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.; 3-He cannot use social media; 4-He is prohibited from communicating with foreign ambassadors and diplomats; 5-He cannot approach embassies; 6-He cannot speak to other people under investigation (me and my brother Carlos are under investigation)," Eduardo reported on X.

Flavio Bolsonaro: "Typical of an inquisition"

Bolsonaro was also backed by another of his sons: Flavio. The first-born son of the former Brazilian president sent some more personal words to his father, in addition to mentioning that the court is not respecting the right to the presumption of innocence.

"Stay strong, dad - they won't silence us! The deliberate humiliation will leave scars on our souls, but it will serve as motivation to keep fighting for our Brazil free of despots. Forbidding a father to talk to his own son is the greatest symbol of the hatred that has seized Alexandre de Moraes to take totally unnecessary and cowardly measures. Typical of an inquisition, whose final judgment is ready before it has even begun," Flavio said.

"Even our adversaries know of your innocence, of your honesty. And we all know you didn't deserve to go through this. God will honor you, dad! You will come out even bigger and stronger from all this, to lead the rescue of our Brazil!" the former president's eldest son added.

Bolsonaro, who considers his case to be "political persecution," faces a prison sentence of up to 40 years. The Brazilian attorney general's office, which has already requested this sentence, accuses the former president of attempting to carry out a coup d'état and crimes such as criminal association, among others.