Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Arrested

(Patria) - Brazil's federal police today preventively arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro, a few days before he was due to begin serving his 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup, the Associated Press reports.

A close associate said Bolsonaro was taken to the police headquarters in the capital Brasilia from house arrest. Police, in a brief statement that did not name Bolsonaro, said they acted at the request of Brazil's Supreme Court.

Neither Brazil's federal police nor the Supreme Court provided further details. Bolsonaro's aide Andriely Cirino confirmed to the Associated Press that the arrest occurred around 6 a.m. local time.

- The 70-year-old former president was taken from his home in the upscale Jardim Botanico neighborhood to the federal police headquarters - Cirino stated.

Bolsonaro was placed under house arrest in early August, a few weeks before being convicted for the coup. His lawyers asked Brazil's Supreme Court to allow Bolsonaro to serve his sentence at home, citing his poor health as the reason.

Local media reported that Bolsonaro, who was Brazil's president from 2019 to 2022, is expected to begin serving his sentence next week after exhausting all appeals against his conviction for leading the coup attempt.

Today's preventive arrest does not mean Bolsonaro will remain at the federal police headquarters to serve his sentence. Brazilian law requires all convicts to begin their sentences in prison.

One of the former president's sons, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, has been urging supporters to take to the streets in defense of their father since Thursday.

Some of Bolsonaro's supporters, who claim he is politically persecuted, are expected to gather outside the federal police headquarters over the weekend.

Bolsonaro and several of his allies were convicted by a panel of Supreme Court justices for attempting to overthrow Brazilian democracy after his defeat in the 2022 elections to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Prosecutors said the coup plot included plans to assassinate Lula and incite a rebellion in early 2023. Bolsonaro was also found guilty of charges of leading an armed criminal organization and attempting to violently abolish the democratic rule of law.

During the proceedings, he denied any guilt.

Bolsonaro remains a key figure in Brazilian politics, despite being ineligible to run for office again until at least 2030, following a separate ruling by Brazil's top electoral court. Polls indicate he would be a strong candidate in next year's elections if allowed to run.

Bolsonaro is an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, who called the trial against Bolsonaro a "witch hunt."

Bolsonaro was mentioned in a July U.S. administration order increasing tariffs on several Brazilian export products by 50%. Trump yesterday revoked most of those higher tariffs.