Brazil's Supreme Court Grants Jair Bolsonaro Temporary House Arrest Due to Ill Health

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted former President Jair Bolsonaro temporary humanitarian house arrest on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, allowing the 71-year-old to serve his sentence outside prison once he is discharged from hospital. Bolsonaro has been hospitalized in Brasília since March 13 with bronchopneumonia and was transferred from intensive care to a regular hospital room on Monday, though his discharge had not yet been scheduled as of Tuesday. The authorization, obtained by AFP from court documents, sets an initial period of 90 days, after which the conditions will be re-evaluated. The decision marks a reversal for Justice de Moraes, who had previously rejected multiple requests from Bolsonaro's legal team for the same measure. Bolsonaro is serving a sentence of more than 27 years for an attempted coup d'état following his 2022 electoral defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

„I authorize temporary humanitarian house arrest [...] for an initial duration of 90 days” (I authorize temporary humanitarian house arrest [...] for an initial duration of 90 days) — Alexandre de Moraes via AFP

Jair Bolsonaro served as the 38th President of Brazil from 2019 to 2023. He lost the October 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On January 8, 2023, his supporters stormed the Supreme Court, the presidential palace, and Congress in Brasília. Bolsonaro was convicted by the Supreme Court in September 2025 for his role in the attempted coup and sentenced to more than 27 years in prison. He had been held at the Papuda prison complex in Brasília since mid-January 2026.

Prosecution backed the request before the judge ruled On Monday, the day before the ruling, the Office of the Attorney General had already issued a favorable opinion on the humanitarian house arrest request submitted by Bolsonaro's lawyers, a step that appeared to pave the way for Justice de Moraes to act. The judge specified in his ruling that after the initial 90-day period, he would examine whether the conditions justifying the measure still existed, including through medical examinations if necessary. The house arrest period begins only upon Bolsonaro's discharge from hospital, meaning the clock has not yet started. His wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, a former First Lady of Brazil, reacted to the news on Instagram with a brief expression of gratitude.

„Thank you my God!” — Michelle Bolsonaro via Libération

The decision drew attention across Brazil given that Justice de Moraes had repeatedly denied identical requests in recent months, making Tuesday's ruling a notable shift in the handling of the case.

A 2018 knife wound still shapes Bolsonaro's health today According to Bolsonaro's medical team, the bronchopneumonia he is currently suffering from stems from an episode of bronchoaspiration, a recurring complication linked to the aftereffects of a knife wound he received in the abdomen during a campaign rally in 2018. Since that attack, the former president has undergone numerous surgical procedures and suffers from recurring hiccup attacks, sometimes accompanied by vomiting. These long-term health consequences have repeatedly required medical intervention over the years. Doctors described his most recent trajectory in hospital as showing a "favorable development," and his transfer out of intensive care was seen as a positive sign. His discharge remains conditional on continued steady improvement, according to medical bulletins cited in reporting.

27 (years) — Bolsonaro's prison sentence for attempted coup

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Son Flávio Bolsonaro now carries the family's political ambitions With Jair Bolsonaro barred from running for office, he has endorsed his eldest son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, as a candidate in the October 2026 presidential election. According to reporting by Libération, Flávio Bolsonaro is currently running neck and neck in polls with President Lula, who is seeking a fourth term, with less than seven months before the vote. The political backdrop gives the elder Bolsonaro's legal and health situation added significance, as his public profile and the visibility of his case continue to influence the Brazilian right. Justice de Moraes, who authorized Tuesday's measure, is a Supreme Federal Court justice who previously served as president of the Superior Electoral Court and was appointed to the bench by President Michel Temer. The house arrest decision does not alter Bolsonaro's conviction or sentence but changes the conditions under which he serves it, subject to ongoing medical review.