Brazil's federal police on Saturday preemptively arrested former president Jair Bolsonaro just days before the start of his 27-year prison sentence for leading an attempted coup, officials said, according to LETA citing AP.
The former leader was taken to the main police headquarters in the capital, Brasília.
In a brief statement released by the police, Bolsonaro's name is not mentioned, but it is indicated that the actions were taken at the request of the Brazilian Supreme Court.
A Bolsonaro aide confirmed that the arrest occurred on Saturday around six in the morning. The 70-year-old former president was taken from his home to the main building of the federal police.
Local media report that Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, may begin serving his sentence as early as next week.
The Brazilian Supreme Court found Bolsonaro guilty in September of plotting a coup and sentenced him to 27 years in prison. An appeal against the sentence was rejected last week, bringing the former president closer to the start of his punishment. Bolsonaro's lawyers stated that they would file further appeals.
On Friday, Bolsonaro's defense appealed to the Supreme Court for permission to serve his sentence under house arrest, claiming that his health condition is too severe for imprisonment.
"Bolsonaro's imprisonment will have serious consequences and poses a threat to his life," the lawyers' petition states. The document notes that the former president's health has "already significantly deteriorated."
