The Brazilian judiciary granted exceptional permission to former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence, to leave his cell for necessary surgery.
The Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, gave the green light to the extreme right-wing leader, after federal police doctors confirmed his urgent need for this procedure.
The doctors explained that Bolsonaro suffers from a "hernia" affecting both sides and causing him continuous pain. It should be noted that the former president, who served from 2019 to 2022, underwent several surgeries following a well-known stabbing incident in his abdomen during his 2018 election campaign.
Despite allowing for treatment, Judge de Moraes, who presided over Bolsonaro's trial on charges of a coup, denied the former president's request for house arrest after leaving the hospital, insisting on his return to prison.
According to authorities, Bolsonaro is staying in a Federal Police facility in the capital, Brasilia, in a room measuring 12 square meters, equipped with a bed, a private bathroom, air conditioning, a TV, and a desk.
Bolsonaro is subjected to almost complete isolation, as he has no contact with the few other inmates present at the facility.
Case Background
A panel of Supreme Court justices had convicted Bolsonaro and several of his allies of attempting to overthrow Brazilian democracy, following his defeat in the 2022 elections.
