Jailhouse Shock: Brazil's FormerPresident Jair Bolsonaro Faces Life in Prison

He contested the law and justice won.

A couple of months after being handed a 27-year sentence for attempting to “eradicate” Brazil’s political system, former president Jair Bolsonaro now looks destined for incarceration.

Imminent Imprisonment

The adjudicated plotter – who has been subject to residential detention in his residence while a set of legal procedures and petitions play out – is broadly anticipated to be imprisoned in the coming days, amid increasing rumors that he will be moved to a notorious top-security penitentiary.

Previous Remarks on Prisoners

Throughout Bolsonaro’s long time in politics, the far-right ex- military man showed minimal mercy for Brazil’s prison population.

“What’s the need to provide these lowlifes a good life?” he once pondered. “They ought to simply be fucked, full-fucking-stop. That's my view.”

On another occasion, Bolsonaro proclaimed: “Should you not wish to end up in prison, you simply need is to avoid sexual assault, abduction or rob.”

Incarceration Facility Speculation

But the possibility of Bolsonaro himself landing in the Papuda prison high-security prison in Brasília has appalled supporters, a group of four this week inspected the facility in an apparent bid to dissuade the high court from sending him there.

Senator Lucas, a lawmaker from Bolsonaro’s political party who was one of the visitors, claimed he expected the 70-year-old figure to be incarcerated in the following week and a half and was concerned his destination could be Papuda.

The senator argued Bolsonaro’s serious gut issues – the consequence of a life-threatening stabbing during the 2018 presidential campaign – implied it would be hazardous to keep the ex-leader there. “His [health] situation is highly critical. He cannot to manage if they send him to Papuda … It would be awful,” said the senator, who also worried about cramped cells and the standard of jail cuisine.

While visiting Papuda, Lucas remembered witnessing cells holding forty prisoners: “That’s practically one square metre per inmate.

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

Backers React

The senator isn't the only voice voicing opinions ahead of the former president’s predicted incarceration.

Writing in a prominent newspaper, one more backer, the ex- cabinet member Fábio Wajngarten, deplored the “brutal” conclusion to Bolsonaro’s “spotless” political career and alleged Brazil was about to experience “the biggest political injustice in its past”.

“It is an unfairness that erodes the spirits of many people in Brazil,” Wajngarten wrote.

Divided Popular Reaction

This could be correct given the considerable backing Bolsonaro retains on the conservative side. But his expected incarceration has also gladdened the hearts of many other people who believe he should be jailed for plotting to stop the elected leader from assuming office – and even scheming to have him killed.

Congressman Otoni, a congressman for the sitting leader's political party, commented: “Nobody wants Bolsonaro to be placed in a dungeon. Nobody wishes Bolsonaro to be put in segregation. Nobody desires Bolsonaro to lack food or for him to have to lie on concrete. We desire him to get proper care – but respectful care in prison. He cannot carry on being his self-appointed guard for his lifetime.”

Otoni was struck by how Bolsonaro allies, who have long praising the tough handling of prisoners, had unexpectedly become aware to their entitlements. “Recently has the far-right – which has always argued that civil liberties should not be for criminals – opted to inspect a penitentiary to discover what situations are truly like,” he said.

“The former president is a lawbreaker,” Otoni insisted, but that did not mean he earned “humiliating, insulting conduct”.

Possible Jail Conditions

Regardless of rumors that Bolsonaro could be sent to Papuda, which currently holds about fourteen thousand prisoners, his probable location seems to be a nearby prison for officers and other “unique” detainees known as Papudinha (Little Papuda).

Its cells are far more comfortable than those in the main prison, although still a far cry from the luxury Bolsonaro experienced while occupying the stunning official residence, approximately 20 kilometers away.

Based on reports, the accommodation Bolsonaro could likely inhabit in Papudinha has about 24 sq metres – approximately the area of two parking spaces – and includes a 12 square meter bathroom with a water facility and a 130 square foot veranda. “The ex-president might be allowed to have a television and also a small fridge in his quarters as long as they were donated by his family,” the report stated.

Political Reactions

The lawmaker denounced the speculated plan to send the ex-president to Papuda as “a form of retaliation” on the part of the supreme court judge who led Bolsonaro’s legal case and will rule on his future in the {

Dan Wilkerson
Dan Wilkerson

A fashion enthusiast and lifestyle blogger with a passion for sustainable trends and empowering women through style.