Jailhouse Surprise: The FormerPresident Bolsonaro Faces Time in Prison

He fought justice and the law triumphed.

Two months subsequent to getting a twenty-seven-year sentence for trying to “destroy” Brazil’s democracy, ex-president Jair Bolsonaro now seems destined for incarceration.

Expected Jailing

The found-guilty coup-monger – who had been subject to residential detention in his mansion while a number of judicial steps and challenges unfold – is largely predicted to be jailed in the near future, during growing speculation that he will be moved to a well-known maximum security prison.

Past Statements on Prisoners

During Bolsonaro’s four-decade time in politics, the right-wing former paratrooper exhibited little compassion for Brazil’s inmates.

“For what reason must we offer those lowlifes a good life?” he previously wondered. “They deserve to be fucked, end of story. That's my view.”

On another occasion, Bolsonaro stated: “Unless you desire to end up behind bars, all you have to do is to avoid rape, kidnap or rob.”

Prison Location Debate

However the prospect of Bolsonaro himself winding up in the Papuda maximum security prison in Brasília has shocked backers, several of whom this week toured the prison in an seeming bid to dissuade the supreme court from sending him there.

Izalci Lucas, a lawmaker from Bolsonaro’s political party who was among that group, said he anticipated the elderly politician to be imprisoned in the following week and a half and worried his destination could be Papuda.

The senator argued Bolsonaro’s severe gut issues – the consequence of a almost deadly knife attack during the last political campaign – meant it would be hazardous to keep the one-time head of state there. “His health is very grave. He cannot to cope if they move him to Papuda … It could be awful,” he commented, who also expressed concern about overcrowded cells and the quality of prison meals.

During his tour Papuda, Lucas remembered seeing cells holding four dozen inmates: “That is virtually one square metre per detainee.

“We talked to the convicts and they protest, naturally, of the horrible food,” continued the senator.

Allies Voice Concerns

The senator isn't the lone figure speaking out prior to the ex-leader's anticipated incarceration.

Penning in a major daily, one more backer, the former cabinet member Fábio Wajngarten, lamented the “harsh” conclusion to Bolsonaro’s “impeccable” political career and claimed Brazil was about to see “the greatest political injustice in its record”.

“It is an unfairness that eats away the hearts of millions Brazilian citizens,” the former minister said.

Varied Public Reaction

That may be correct given the considerable backing Bolsonaro retains on the Brazilian right. But his expected jailing has also gladdened the spirits of millions other people who think he ought to be incarcerated for conspiring to block the elected leader from assuming office – and additionally conspiring to have him assassinated.

Reimont Otoni, a politician for the sitting leader's allied group, stated: “No one desires Bolsonaro to be put in a hole. Nobody wishes Bolsonaro to be put in segregation. Not a soul wishes Bolsonaro to lack food or for him to have to lie on concrete. We want him to receive dignified treatment – but proper care behind bars. He cannot continue being his self-appointed guard for his lifetime.”

He observed how Bolsonaro supporters, who have spent years praising the harsh handling of convicts, had unexpectedly realized to their privileges. “Only now has the conservative fringe – which has consistently claimed that civil liberties were not for lawbreakers – decided to inspect a prison to find out what circumstances are actually like,” he said.

“The former president is a offender,” he affirmed, but that did not mean he merited “shameful, insulting handling”.

Possible Incarceration Conditions

Regardless of talk that Bolsonaro could be sent to Papuda, which currently holds about thousands of detainees, his expected assigned facility looks to be a close prison for law enforcement and other “particular” prisoners known as Papudinha (Little Papuda).

His potential cell are far more pleasant than those in the main prison, although nevertheless a far cry from the opulence Bolsonaro had while living in the impressive leader's home, approximately 20 kilometers away.

According to reports, the accommodation Bolsonaro could anticipate reside in in Papudinha measures about 24 sq metres – roughly the size of two parking spaces – and includes a 130 square foot bathroom with a bathing area and a 12 square meter veranda. “Bolsonaro would be permitted to have a set and additionally a cooler in his cell as long as they were supplied by his loved ones,” the report stated.

Partisan Responses

Senator Lucas denounced the talked-about idea to send the ex-president to Papuda as “a form of retaliation” on the part of the presiding magistrate who oversaw Bolsonaro’s legal case and will decide his outcome in the {

Vanessa Cherry
Vanessa Cherry

Felix Weber is a seasoned industrial engineer with over 15 years of experience in manufacturing optimization and sustainable technology solutions.