Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's house arrest tightened with new 30‑day visit ban

Supreme Court minister Alexandre de Moraes upheld Jair Bolsonaro’s humanitarian house‑arrest but imposed stricter conditions. A 30‑day suspension of all visits was ordered, allowing only medical, physiotherapy and lawyer appointments, and a blanket prohibition on any political‑electoral contact until the 2026 general elections. Moraes also banned the dissemination of political material produced by Bolsonaro, even when posted by third parties. He compared Bolsonaro’s situation to the conditions of more than 705,000 prisoners in Brazil’s regular penitentiary system, calling the former “incomparably more beneficial.”

The Prosecutor‑General’s Office (PGR) submitted a formal opinion to the STF defending the continuation of the house‑arrest, arguing that revoking it would be disproportionate. The PGR highlighted the humanitarian and health reasons—Bolsonaro’s recent surgery and recovery from pneumonia—behind the current regime. The controversy sparked after Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, published a handwritten letter from his father on social media, which the court deemed a violation of the visitation and communication restrictions.

Moraes noted that Bolsonaro has already received 185 visits since his house‑arrest began, including 70 medical visits, 64 by lawyers, and several by family members. The decision comes as Bolsonaro, convicted of involvement in a coup plot and sentenced to 27 years, continues to seek political influence ahead of upcoming elections.