Jailhouse Surprise: The FormerPresident Jair Bolsonaro Faces Life Behind Bars

He battled justice and the law triumphed.

Two months after being handed a 27-year sentence for trying to “eradicate” the nation's democracy, former president Jair Bolsonaro now appears jail-bound.

Imminent Imprisonment

The found-guilty coup-monger – who had been subject to house arrest in his residence while a series of legal procedures and appeals play out – is widely expected to be incarcerated in the near future, during growing speculation that he will be moved to a notorious high-security penitentiary.

Past Statements on Convicts

During Bolsonaro’s four-decade public life, the conservative ex- military man showed minimal compassion for the country's jailed individuals.

“Why should we give those scoundrels a easy time?” he once mused. “They deserve to be screwed, full-fucking-stop. That’s what I reckon.”

On another occasion, Bolsonaro declared: “Unless you desire to finish there, all you have to do is to avoid rape, kidnap or theft.”

Incarceration Destination Debate

But the prospect of Bolsonaro himself ending up in the Papuda prison maximum security prison in Brasília has horrified supporters, four of whom this week inspected the facility in an obvious bid to dissuade the supreme court from banishing him there.

Senator Lucas, a lawmaker from Bolsonaro’s political party who was part of that quartet, said he anticipated the 70-year-old figure to be imprisoned in the following week and a half and feared his destination could be Papuda.

The senator argued Bolsonaro’s severe gut ailments – the outcome of a almost deadly stabbing during the last election race – signified it would be risky to keep the ex-leader there. “His condition is highly critical. He will not be able to cope if they take him to Papuda … It will be dreadful,” he commented, who also worried about overcrowded cells and the quality of inmate food.

When inspecting Papuda, Lucas remembered observing cells holding 40 inmates: “It's almost one square metre per detainee.

“We conversed to the prisoners and they complain, naturally, of the horrible cuisine,” added the senator.

Supporters Speak Out

Lucas is not the only voice expressing views ahead of the former president’s anticipated detention.

Penning in a major newspaper, a different supporter, the ex- cabinet member Fábio Wajngarten, lamented the “harsh” conclusion to Bolsonaro’s “flawless” political career and claimed Brazil was about to experience “the largest political injustice in its record”.

“It represents an injustice that eats away the souls of many Brazilian citizens,” he stated.

Mixed Popular Reaction

That may be accurate due to the significant backing Bolsonaro retains on the right-wing. But his predicted incarceration has also gladdened the hearts of numerous other people who believe he deserves to be incarcerated for planning to block the elected leader from assuming office – and also plotting to have him assassinated.

Congressman Otoni, a representative for the incumbent president's allied group, said: “Nobody wants Bolsonaro to be placed in a dungeon. No one wishes Bolsonaro to be put in isolation. Not a soul desires Bolsonaro to lack food or for him to have to rest on hard ground. We want him to get respectful handling – but proper treatment while incarcerated. He cannot carry on being his personal jailer for his entire life.”

He observed how Bolsonaro supporters, who have for a long time praising the harsh handling of prisoners, had unexpectedly woken up to their rights. “Recently has the conservative fringe – which has repeatedly argued that human rights were not for lawbreakers – decided to visit a jail to find out what circumstances are actually like,” he stated.

“The former president is a offender,” Otoni insisted, but that did not mean he earned “degrading, insulting treatment”.

Likely Prison Facilities

Regardless of speculation that Bolsonaro could be transferred to Papuda, which presently contains about thousands of prisoners, his probable assigned facility seems to be a nearby jail for police officers and other “special” detainees called Papudinha (Small Papuda).

The accommodations are considerably more comfortable than those in the primary facility, although nonetheless a world away from the comfort Bolsonaro had while occupying the stunning official residence, around 12 miles away.

Based on sources, the accommodation Bolsonaro could anticipate inhabit in Papudinha has about 24 sq metres – about the area of vehicle spaces – and features a 12 sq metre restroom with a water facility and a 12 square meter balcony. “Bolsonaro would be permitted to have a set and also a cooler in his quarters as long as they were supplied by his relatives,” sources stated.

Partisan Comments

He criticized the talked-about idea to send the former leader to Papuda as “a type of payback” on the part of the judicial authority who oversaw Bolsonaro’s legal case and will rule on his fate in the {

Margaret Patton
Margaret Patton

A tech journalist and business strategist with over a decade of experience covering digital transformation and startup ecosystems.