Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro told a court that a medication-induced psychotic episode led him to tamper with his ankle monitor, convinced that it had been planted with a listening device.
Bolsonaro was arrested at home on Saturday, just hours after security teams detected that the tracking device had been damaged. Fearing an imminent escape attempt, a Supreme Court judge ordered his immediate detention.
The former leader has been under tight monitoring since his conviction for plotting a coup attempt. His prison sentence was expected to begin soon, prompting heightened vigilance from authorities.
At the custody hearing, Bolsonaro said he had been taking a powerful painkiller and an antidepressant, which he claimed caused intense paranoia. Believing the device was bugged, he used a soldering iron to open it.
Sceptics pointed to inconsistencies in his account, including an earlier recorded admission that he tampered with the monitor out of “curiosity.” Support from foreign political allies also appears to be diminishing.