Former President Jair Bolsonaro claimed that after attacking his electronic ankle monitor with a soldering iron during a drug-induced “psychotic attack,” he had a sudden recovery and “snapped out of it.” He testified in a custody hearing that the delusion caused him to believe the device was secretly recording him.
The tampering was the reason federal police arrested him on suspicion of preparing to flee to a foreign embassy to avoid his 27-year prison sentence for a failed coup. Bolsonaro, who has been confined since his conviction, vehemently denied any intention to escape the country.
Political analysts are highly dubious of his complex medical defense, especially as it contradicts his prior, simpler claim of acting “out of curiosity.” The timing and nature of his “recovery” raise additional questions about the incident.
