Jair Bolsonaro told a judge that he tampered with his ankle monitor because hallucinations from medication convinced him the device was secretly recording him.
He was arrested early Saturday when security systems detected tampering with the tracker. Authorities believed he might be preparing to seek protection at a foreign embassy.
Bolsonaro has been under house arrest since being convicted for orchestrating a coup attempt. With the enforcement of his 27-year sentence imminent, officials had been monitoring him closely.
In his testimony, Bolsonaro said he had taken a strong painkiller and an antidepressant that triggered paranoia. Acting on this belief, he tried to dismantle the device with a hand tool.
Analysts doubted his story, pointing to earlier footage in which he admitted tampering out of curiosity. International reactions were quiet, suggesting diminished backing.
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