Bolsonaro’s House Arrest and Medical Claims Mask a Deeper Threat to Brazil’s Democracy

As Brazil wrestles with the aftermath of one of its most divisive presidencies, Jair Bolsonaro’s recent temporary leave from house arrest to undergo medical exams in Brasilia raises more than just questions about his health—it highlights the broader struggle confronting democracies under assault from populists unwilling to accept defeat. Authorized by a Brazilian judge to spend six to eight hours at DF Star hospital, Bolsonaro was treated for residual pulmonary infections and digestive ailments linked to previous campaign violence injuries. Yet this medical episode stands against the backdrop of far more consequential challenges: Bolsonaro’s ongoing trial at Brazil's Supreme Court....