The former president is being held in a “State Major Room,” a detention space reserved for authorities with special privileges in Brazil.
The preventive detention of former president Jair Bolsonaro has once again shaken the political landscape in Brazil, not only because of the legal implications but also due to the particular conditions of his confinement.
Following a decision by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Bolsonaro was transferred to a special holding cell known as a “State Major Room,” a facility meant for authorities who are legally entitled to specific protections.
The STF justified the measure on the grounds of “risk of flight,” marking a turning point in the controversial judicial process involving the conservative leader.
Until August, Bolsonaro had been serving house arrest, but Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that conditions no longer allowed the continuation of that regime.
According to the court, the detention is not directly tied to his conviction for the attempted coup, but to procedural and security concerns.
The “State Major Room” assigned to him is located inside the Federal Police headquarters in the Federal District and measures 12 square meters. It includes a private bathroom, bed, desk, chair, television, small refrigerator, wardrobe, and air conditioning.
Brazilian law stipulates that former high-ranking officials have the right to accommodations that ensure their dignity and physical safety, distinguishing these facilities from standard prison cells.
The room resembles the one occupied by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during his detention in Curitiba before his corruption conviction was annulled. It also recalls the conditions in which Michel Temer spent four days in Federal Police custody in Rio de Janeiro during Operation Decontamination, a branch of the Lava Jato investigations.
Bolsonaro’s defense had requested the day before his arrest that he be allowed to remain at home for “humanitarian reasons,” citing fragile health conditions. However, the STF rejected the plea and confirmed that his detention had to be carried out in a “closed regime,” requiring immediate transfer to a police facility.
The complex housing him also serves as a medical assessment center where detainees undergo exams before being sent to permanent prison units.
In this context, the court scheduled a virtual custody hearing to verify due process and ensure that his detention conditions meet legal standards.
The decision to impose preventive imprisonment has sparked heated debate across Brazil. For some observers, the ruling sends a strong message reinforcing the principle that no one should receive undue judicial privileges.
For others, it fuels the narrative of political persecution that Bolsonaro and his allies have repeatedly claimed.
As the legal proceedings continue, the former president remains under strict supervision in a facility that, while more comfortable than a typical prison cell, symbolizes yet another dramatic chapter in Brazil’s turbulent political landscape.
