Sat Nov 22 12:15:13 UTC 2025: News Article:
Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro Arrested for Coup Attempt
Brasilia, Brazil – Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was arrested by federal police in Brasilia early Saturday morning, just days before he was expected to begin serving a 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, according to his lawyer and close aides.
Bolsonaro, 70, had been under house arrest since August. His lawyer, Celso Vilardi, confirmed the arrest but stated the reason was unknown. A close aide, Andriely Cirino, told the Associated Press that Bolsonaro was taken to the police headquarters in the capital around 6:00 AM local time.
Brazilian federal police issued a brief statement confirming an arrest but did not name Bolsonaro. The action was reportedly carried out at the request of Brazil’s Supreme Court, which has yet to release further details.
Local media reports indicated that Bolsonaro was expected to begin serving his sentence next week after exhausting all appeals related to his conviction in September. He was found guilty of attempting to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office following the 2022 election, which he lost. The attempted coup culminated in a riot that saw protesters storming government buildings a week after Lula’s inauguration.
Bolsonaro’s legal team had previously argued for him to serve his sentence at home, citing health concerns.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol after then President Donald Trump, a close ally of Bolsonaro, lost the 2020 election. Trump has previously condemned Bolsonaro’s prosecution as a “witch-hunt” and imposed tariffs on Brazil in response.
Despite the tensions, Lula and Trump held a meeting last month on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, raising hopes for improved relations. Lula described the meeting as “great” and stated that teams from both countries would begin working to address tariffs and other issues.
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