Jair Bolsonaro told a judge he tampered with his ankle monitor because a drug-induced hallucination made him believe the device was secretly recording him.
His arrest followed a midnight alert indicating the device had been interfered with. Authorities feared he planned to flee to an embassy.
Bolsonaro has been under house arrest since a Supreme Court ruling found him guilty of attempting a coup. His 27-year sentence was expected to be enforced soon.
Bolsonaro explained that the medications he had been taking triggered paranoia. Thinking the monitor was bugged, he used a hand tool to pry it open.
Analysts doubted his explanation due to inconsistencies with earlier statements. International leaders reacted cautiously to the news.
Bolsonaro Says He Feared Spy Device During Medication Episode
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