Prison Surprise: Brazil's Ex-President Bolsonaro Faces Life Behind Bars

He fought justice and justice triumphed.

Two months after being handed a quarter-century plus sentence for attempting to “destroy” the nation's democratic institutions, one-time leader Jair Bolsonaro finally looks headed to prison.

Anticipated Jailing

The found-guilty plotter – who's been living under home confinement in his residence while a number of judicial steps and appeals play out – is largely predicted to be incarcerated in the next few days, amidst mounting speculation that he will be moved to a infamous maximum security facility.

Historical Statements on Prisoners

During Bolsonaro’s 40-year political career, the far-right former soldier showed minimal compassion for the country's jailed individuals.

“What’s the need to give these lowlifes a easy time?” he previously wondered. “They deserve to be fucked, full-fucking-stop. That's my opinion.”

On another occasion, Bolsonaro declared: “If you don’t want to end up there, all you have to do is to avoid rape, kidnap or rob.”

Prison Facility Debate

Yet the possibility of Bolsonaro himself ending up in the Papuda top-security prison in Brasília has horrified supporters, a group of four this week toured the complex in an apparent attempt to discourage the supreme court from transferring him there.

Izalci Lucas, a senator from Bolsonaro’s Liberal party who was among that group, claimed he expected the 70-year-old politician to be incarcerated in the following week and a half and was concerned his location could be Papuda.

Lucas claimed Bolsonaro’s severe intestinal issues – the result of a near-fatal knife attack during the last political campaign – signified it would be risky to keep the ex-leader there. “His condition is very grave. He cannot to cope if they send him to Papuda … It could be awful,” he commented, who also expressed concern about overcrowded cells and the quality of inmate food.

When inspecting Papuda, Lucas noted witnessing cells holding forty inmates: “That’s almost one meter squared per inmate.

“We conversed to the prisoners and they protest, of course, of the horrible food,” remarked the senator.

Supporters Speak Out

The senator isn't the sole person speaking out prior to the ex-leader's expected incarceration.

Writing in a leading daily, one more backer, the former communications minister Fábio Wajngarten, lamented the “harsh” finale to Bolsonaro’s “flawless” public service and asserted Brazil was about to witness “the biggest wrong in its history”.

“It represents an injustice that eats away the souls of countless of Brazilians,” he stated.

Divided Public Reaction

It is possibly correct given the substantial following Bolsonaro maintains on the Brazilian right. However his anticipated imprisonment has also gladdened the feelings of many other people who feel he ought to be imprisoned for planning to block his successor from becoming president – and also conspiring to have him assassinated.

The lawmaker, a congressman for the incumbent administration's Workers’ party, commented: “Nobody wishes Bolsonaro to be put in a hole. No one desires Bolsonaro to be sent in solitary confinement. Not a soul wishes Bolsonaro to lack food or for him to have to rest on hard ground. We desire him to obtain respectful care – but proper treatment in prison. He cannot carry on being his personal jailer for his entire life.”

He observed how Bolsonaro backers, who have spent years celebrating the severe treatment of inmates, had suddenly woken up to their entitlements. “Only now has the conservative fringe – which has consistently claimed that civil liberties were not for lawbreakers – decided to visit a penitentiary to discover what situations are actually like,” he stated.

“The former president is a lawbreaker,” Otoni insisted, but that did not mean he merited “shameful, insulting treatment”.

Possible Prison Conditions

Despite rumors that Bolsonaro could be moved to Papuda, which now houses about fourteen thousand inmates, his probable destination appears to be a adjacent prison for police officers and other “particular” detainees known as Papudinha (Minor Papuda).

His potential cell are far more pleasant than those in the larger jail, although still a far cry from the comfort Bolsonaro had while occupying the impressive official residence, about 12 miles away.

As per information, the cell Bolsonaro could expect to inhabit in Papudinha has about 260 square feet – approximately the area of two parking spaces – and features a 12 sq metre restroom with a water facility and a 12 square meter balcony. “He could be authorized to have a TV and even a cooler in his room as long as they were provided by his family,” the report suggested.

Political Reactions

Senator Lucas condemned the speculated plan to send the one-time head of state to Papuda as “a form of payback” on the part of the judicial authority who presided over Bolsonaro’s legal case and will determine his outcome in the {

Ryan Reed
Ryan Reed

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in casino game strategy and industry trends.