Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has started his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, to the surprise of many in the South American nation who doubted he would ever end up behind bars.

Supreme court justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has overseen the case, ruled Bolsonaro will remain in custody after being pre-emptively arrested on Saturday.

The far-right leader had been under house arrest since August and was taken to federal police headquarters on Saturday after trying to break his ankle monitor.

Bolsonaro blamed “hallucinations”, a claim that Justice de Moraes dismissed in his pre-emptive arrest order.

Bolsonaro will not have any contact with the few other inmates at the federal police headquarters. His 12-square-metre room has a bed, a private bathroom, air co

See Full Page