Arrested Bolsonaro: “I Was Not Fleeing,” Blames Prescription Drug Delirium for Tampering

Former President Jair Bolsonaro was arrested and placed in custody, but he strongly asserted, “I was not fleeing,” despite being caught tampering with his electronic ankle monitor. Federal police suspected he was preparing to seek refuge in a foreign embassy to avoid his 27-year prison sentence for a failed coup.
To explain the damage, Bolsonaro claimed in a custody hearing that a mixture of a strong painkiller and an antidepressant caused a “psychotic attack,” leading to paranoia and the conviction that the monitor was secretly recording him. He admitted he used a soldering iron on the device.
Political observers are highly dubious of this dramatic medical explanation, especially since he previously offered the far simpler excuse of acting “out of curiosity.” His denial of a flight risk is central to his defense strategy.