Paulinho Neblina transferred to psychiatric hospital

Federal Justice has authorized the transfer of Paulo César Souza Nascimento Júnior, known as Paulinho Neblina, to the Hospital de Custódia e Tratamento Psiquiátrico de Taubaté in São Paulo. Identified by the Public Ministry of São Paulo as a high-ranking member of the PCC criminal organization, Neblina had been held under maximum security in the federal prison system for eight years.

Medical evaluations conducted between 2023 and 2026 documented a progressive decline in his mental health. Initially diagnosed with severe depressive episodes, his condition has evolved into bipolar affective disorder with severe depressive episodes accompanied by psychotic symptoms, including delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, and self-mutilation. His clinical state is further complicated by Crohn's disease, a chronic gastrointestinal condition.

Judicial experts concluded that the prolonged isolation and maximum security regime of the federal penitentiary acted as aggravating factors for his psychosis. The court ruled that the prison environment was insufficient for necessary clinical management, citing the need for specialized hospital care to uphold constitutional principles regarding human dignity and the right to health. The transfer, effective June 1, is a security measure under the Penal Execution Law, which allows for the substitution of a sentence with a security measure when mental illness arises after conviction. This change does not reduce or extinguish his total sentence, which exceeds 145 years.