Bolsonaro’s government ignored repeated pleas to sign additional vaccine contracts. He publicly questioned the reliability of shots and mocked contract terms, once suggesting Pfizer recipients would have no legal recourse if they “turned into alligators.” Brazil faced vaccine shortages and doses were released in phases by age and health risk.

In September, Brazil ’s Supreme Court convicted Bolsonaro, 70, who led the country from 2019 to 2022, of attempting a coupe to stay in power after his election loss. He was sentenced to 27 years and has been on house arrest with an ankle monitor since August.

In footage released by the Supreme Court, Bolsonaro—sentenced to 27 years for plotting to block Lula from taking office—describes using a soldering iron to tamper with his ankle monitor

Brazil's federal police arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of leading a coup attempt, on Saturday.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was detained in Brasilia because of a possible "attempted escape" to an embassy before he was to begin his prison sentence.

Brazil's former president was moved from house arrest to police detention after the Supreme Court said he tried to break his ankle monitor and flee amid a growing vigil outside his home.

The former president remains under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, but according to local media, the court has ordered his transfer to prison as a precautionary measure and to maintain public order after a vigil was announced outside,