Brazilian police search the home of former President Bolsonaro for weapons but find nothing

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s federal police on Wednesday searched the home of convicted former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for weapons and ammunition, but found nothing, a lawyer for Bolsonaro said on X.

Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest in the capital Brasilia, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his 2022 electoral defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“I just left the residence of (Bolsonaro) after witnessing yet another search and seizure by the federal police,” attorney João Henrique Nascimento de Freitas said. “Nothing was found.”

A federal police official who requested anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly about the matter confirmed that nothing was seized.

The Brazilian Supreme Court ordered the search after a discrepancy between the number of firearms legally registered in Bolsonaro’s name and those handed over to the competent authorities came to light, according to a court decision signed by Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday.

Last month, police seized a firearm owned by Bolsonaro in the possession of a military officer at a checkpoint. On Friday, De Moraes granted Bolsonaro authorization to remain under house arrest despite the incident.

A panel of Supreme Court justices convicted Bolsonaro in September, and he began serving his sentence in November. In March, the former president was granted house arrest due to ill health.

Bolsonaro’s trial received broad international attention after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods citing, among other reasons, a “ witch hunt ” targeting his ally.

One of Bolsonaro's sons, Eduardo, was convicted this year for illegally lobbying the U.S. government to threaten Brazilian officials to stop his father’s trial.

Many of the tariffs were later lifted, although the Trump administration recently threatened more tariffs over alleged unfair commercial practices, even as the U.S. runs a heavy trade surplus with Brazil.

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