Bolsonaro’s defenders ask for his release to undergo surgery at Christmas

The lawyers of the former Brazilian presidentJair Bolsonarothey asked that he be released from prison and admitted tomorrow for asurgeryon December 25th. The intervention was authorized by the Supreme Court judge on FridayAlexandre de Moraeswho presided over the trial in which the former far-right leader (2019-2022) was sentenced in September to 27 years in prison forattempted coup d’état.

The authorization was granted after an appraisal byfederal policewhich established the validity of the intervention. Judge Moraes then asked the lawyers to choose a date, which will now have to be reviewed by the Attorney General’s office before being finally approved by the judge.

Details of hospitalization and operation

If this approval is granted,Jair Bolsonaro70 years old, will be released tomorrow from the headquarters of theFederal Police of Brasiliawhere he has been detained since the end of November, to be hospitalized at theprivate clinic DF Starin the Brazilian capital, where he previously underwent surgery. He is scheduled to undergo surgery there to treat ainguinal hernia. The length of hospitalization was not specified. His defense team also requested that the former president’s wife,Michelle Bolsonaroaccompany him during his hospitalization.

Appeals rejected and health reasons

On Friday, Judge Moraes rejected another appeal filed by Bolsonaro’s lawyers and denied him the right to serve the sentenceshouse arrest. The former head of state was due to give an interview to the Metropoles website today, his first since his incarceration, but canceled at the last minute for “health reasons”, according to a handwritten note published by the news outlet. Bolsonaro suffers the consequences of aassault with knifeoccurred in 2018, which required severalmajor surgical interventions.