Prison Surprise: The Ex-President Jair Bolsonaro Faces Life Behind Bars

He contested the legal system and justice won.

Two months following getting a 27-year sentence for seeking to “eradicate” the nation's democratic institutions, former president Jair Bolsonaro at last looks destined for incarceration.

Anticipated Incarceration

The convicted plotter – who has been under house arrest in his residence while a series of judicial steps and petitions proceed – is broadly anticipated to be imprisoned in the near future, amidst growing rumors that he will be sent to a notorious high-security prison.

Historical Comments on Convicts

During Bolsonaro’s long time in politics, the far-right former military man showed minimal mercy for Brazil’s jailed individuals.

“For what reason must we offer these dirtbags a good life?” he previously wondered. “They ought to simply be fucked, full-fucking-stop. That's my opinion.”

On another occasion, Bolsonaro stated: “If you don’t want to end up there, the only thing required is to avoid sexual assault, kidnap or theft.”

Prison Facility Discussion

However the idea of Bolsonaro himself ending up in the Papuda top-security prison in Brasília has appalled supporters, several of whom this week toured the complex in an apparent attempt to dissuade the supreme court from transferring him there.

The senator, a lawmaker from Bolsonaro’s Liberal party who was one of the visitors, said he expected the 70-year-old leader to be jailed in the next 10 days and was concerned his location could be Papuda.

The senator argued Bolsonaro’s severe digestive issues – the result of a life-threatening assault during the last political campaign – signified it would be dangerous to keep the one-time head of state there. “His [health] situation is extremely serious. He won’t be able to manage if they move him to Papuda … It could be awful,” he commented, who also worried about packed cells and the condition of jail cuisine.

When inspecting Papuda, Lucas noted observing cells containing four dozen inmates: “That is practically one square metre per detainee.

“We spoke to the prisoners and they protest, naturally, of the awful cuisine,” continued the senator.

Allies Voice Concerns

He is not the only voice expressing views before the one-time head of state's expected detention.

Authoring in a leading newspaper, a different supporter, the ex- communications minister Fábio Wajngarten, deplored the “harsh” end to Bolsonaro’s “impeccable” time in office and asserted Brazil was about to experience “the greatest political injustice in its past”.

“This is an unfairness that erodes the spirits of countless of Brazilians,” he stated.

Varied Public Opinion

It is possibly correct considering the significant backing Bolsonaro holds on the Brazilian right. But his expected imprisonment has also pleased the feelings of millions individuals who feel he deserves to be jailed for planning to prevent his successor from becoming president – and even scheming to have him killed.

Congressman Otoni, a congressman for the current president's allied group, said: “Not a soul wishes Bolsonaro to be placed in a dark cell. Nobody wishes Bolsonaro to be sent in segregation. Nobody wants Bolsonaro to go hungry or for him to have to rest on hard ground. We desire him to get dignified handling – but respectful care in prison. He cannot carry on being his own prison warden for his whole life.”

The congressman noted how Bolsonaro supporters, who have long applauding the harsh conditions of inmates, had abruptly realized to their rights. “Recently has the extreme right – which has always asserted that human rights should not be for lawbreakers – chosen to tour a jail to find out what situations are truly like,” he stated.

“He is a offender,” the congressman maintained, but that did not mean he deserved “shameful, insulting conduct”.

Potential Prison Facilities

In spite of rumors that Bolsonaro could be transferred to Papuda, which presently holds about 14,000 detainees, his more likely assigned facility looks to be a adjacent prison for police officers and other “special” inmates referred to as Papudinha (Minor Papuda).

Its cells are considerably more adequate than those in the primary facility, although nonetheless a world away from the luxury Bolsonaro enjoyed while living in the impressive leader's home, around 20 kilometers away.

According to information, the accommodation Bolsonaro could anticipate reside in in Papudinha is about 24 sq metres – approximately the dimensions of a couple of car spots – and features a 130 square foot bathroom with a shower and a 130 square foot balcony. “Bolsonaro would be allowed to have a set and even a small fridge in his quarters as long as they were donated by his relatives,” information indicated.

Political Reactions

Senator Lucas denounced the speculated plan to send the one-time head of state to Papuda as “a type of retaliation” on the part of the judicial authority who oversaw Bolsonaro’s coup trial and will decide his outcome in the {