Supreme Court orders 24/7 surveillance of Bolsonaro ahead of coup trial

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered round-the-clock monitoring of Jair Bolsonaro, just days before the former president is set to stand trial on charges of plotting to overturn the country’s democracy. The measure builds on his house arrest, imposed earlier this month, after repeated violations of court-ordered restrictions and mounting evidence of Bolsonaro’s flight risk.

The decision stems from a complaint by Congressman Lindbergh Farias, the Lula administration’s deputy whip, citing a recently revealed draft asylum request to Argentina found on Bolsonaro’s phone, seized by police. The document was created in February 2024. Around that time, federal marshals raided Bolsonaro’s properties looking for evidence, and the former president briefly holed up in the Hungarian Embassy. Besides Hungary or Argentina, Farias warned Bolsonaro could also turn to the US Embassy, relying on Donald Trump’s support.