Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro left his Brasilia residence under house arrest on Sunday to undergo a medical procedure at a nearby hospital, his first public appearance since a panel of Supreme Court justices on Thursday handed him a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup and illegally seeking to remain in power after his 2022 electoral defeat.
Escorted by police, the 70-year-old former leader traveled to the DF Star hospital in the capital for treatment related to skin lesions after Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted a temporary release on Sept. 8. Bolsonaro was expected to be discharged later Sunday and is required to file a certificate of attendance with the Supreme Court listing the dates and times of the appointments.
Bolsonaro has been under house arrest since early August after de Moraes said he violated precautionary measures tied to the coup-related trial. He has worn an ankle monitor, and in late August de Moraes ordered increased security measures including police inspections of all vehicles leaving Bolsonaro’s residence and monitoring of the home's exterior.
Supporters gathered at the hospital on Sunday to greet Bolsonaro, chanting “Amnesty now!” in reference to efforts by some of his allies in Congress to seek some form of amnesty for the former president. Deusélis Filho, 46, who identified himself as president of a Bolsonaro supporters’ group called Influencers of Brazil, said the group was at the hospital to provide “spiritual and psychological support.”
Bolsonaro’s son Carlos posted on social media during the hospital visit to complain about what he described as excessive policing around his father’s trip. “I’m with my father and witnessing the continuation of the biggest circus in Brazilian history,” he wrote on X. “A convoy with more than 20 men ostensibly armed with rifles (…) just to promote the humiliation of an honest man.”
The Supreme Court panel’s decision to sentence Bolsonaro to 27 years does not mean he will immediately begin serving that term. The panel has up to 60 days to publish the full ruling. Once the written decision is published, Bolsonaro’s lawyers will have five days to file motions for clarification and have said they will seek to appeal the conviction and sentence to the full 11-justice Supreme Court, although some legal experts view acceptance of such an appeal as unlikely.
The case has drawn international attention. In recent days, the issue has seeped into diplomatic and trade rhetoric, with U.S. political figures commenting on the proceedings. Marco Rubio posted on X after the ruling that "Trump’s government will respond accordingly," language Brazil’s Foreign Ministry called an inappropriate threat. The ministry said the comments would not intimidate the government, emphasized that Brazil’s judiciary is independent and said Bolsonaro was afforded due process.
Brazil’s political scene remains sharply divided over the proceedings. Allies of Bolsonaro have pushed for measures in Congress that could provide amnesty or other protections, while opponents and judicial authorities press forward with the legal process stemming from the events surrounding the 2022 vote and its aftermath. The court found that Bolsonaro and others sought to undermine Brazil’s democratic institutions by attempting to obstruct the transfer of power following the election.
As Bolsonaro returns to house arrest, he remains subject to the precautionary measures set by the court, including monitoring and restrictions on travel. The immediate legal steps are procedural: publication of the panel’s ruling, potential motions for clarification, and any determination by the full Supreme Court on whether to accept an appeal. Until those processes are complete, the timing and implementation of the sentence remain uncertain.