Jair Bolsonaro to Remain Under House Arrest as PGR Defends Status Amid Weapon Probe

The Prosecutor‑General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, sent a formal opinion to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) supporting the continuation of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s house arrest. The request follows a request from STF Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who asked the PGR to comment after a firearm registered to Bolsonaro was seized in a traffic stop involving his security guard, Sergeant Estácio Leite da Silva Filho. Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years and three months for an attempted coup, has been under house arrest since 27 March 2026.

The Civil Police of the Federal District concluded that Bolsonaro did not commit a crime: the weapon’s registration was valid and there were no restrictions on his possession, so they did not indict him. However, they indicted the guard for illegal possession of a restricted‑use firearm. The PGR echoed the police view that Bolsonaro’s “current custodial condition is incompatible with firearm possession” and recommended that the seized weapon remain confiscated.

The debate centers on whether the incident constitutes a “grave fault” that could justify revoking the humanitarian house‑arrest measure. Bolsonaro’s defence stresses his ongoing medical issues and argues that no disciplinary breach has occurred. The STF is expected to rule on the matter in the coming days.