Foam that's washed away': support dissolves as Bolsonaro starts 27-year jail term

"A few hours before Jair Bolsonaro was ordered to start his 27-year coup sentence in a parking space-sized room, Arley Xavier stood outside the former president's new home putting a brave face on his leader's bind. It's not over. There's still so much Jair Messias Bolsonaro needs to do here in Brazil No, it's not over, insisted the 21-year-old activist, urging conservatives to rise up against Bolsonaro's imprisonment by flocking to the capital, Brasilia, to protest."

"During his 2018-2023 presidency, the far-right populist drew huge, impassioned crowds to the streets of cities such as Brasilia, Rio and Sao Paulo. But there was no sign of a rightwing rebellion this week as Bolsonaro languished in his room on a federal police base. Xavier, who had travelled to the capital for the occasion, was one of only about two dozen protesters outside as the disgraced politician faced up to a future of isolation inside."

"But the unexpectedly lethargic response to Bolsonaro's incarceration has caused some to wonder if his grip over the Brazilian right has been shattered. According to one report, on top of his custodial sentence, the 70-year-old politician could be banned from seeking office until he is 105. Bolsonaro's son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a congressman, has been living in the US since February and faces arrest if he returns home because of a supreme court investigation into allegations he attempted to interfere in his father's coup"

Jair Bolsonaro was ordered to begin a 27-year prison sentence for his role in a coup attempt and was placed in a small room at a federal police base. Only about two dozen supporters gathered outside as his allies failed to stage a mass protest in Brasilia. Five co-conspirators were also detained and a sixth fled to the US. Followers hope for an amnesty or pardon, particularly if a conservative wins next year's election. Reports indicate Bolsonaro could be barred from holding office until age 105. His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, remains in the US and faces arrest if he returns amid a supreme court investigation.

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