Brazil’s former president, Fernando Collor, has been arrested and ordered to begin serving a prison sentence following his 2023 conviction for corruption. Collor, who governed Brazil from 1990 to 1992, was sentenced to eight years and 10 months in prison after being found guilty of accepting 20 million reais ($3.5 million) in bribes. The payments were made to facilitate contracts between BR Distribuidora, a state-controlled fuel distributor, and construction firm UTC Engenharia for the building of fuel distribution bases. In exchange, Collor allegedly provided political backing for executive appointments at BR Distribuidora when it was still under state control.
Collor, who was the first president elected by popular vote after the military dictatorship, was arrested on Friday in Alagoas, a state in northeastern Brazil. Despite ongoing legal appeals from his defense, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that Collor should start serving his sentence, emphasizing that appeals without merit can result in immediate imprisonment.
The charges stem from Operation Car Wash, a broad corruption investigation that has exposed widespread bribery among political leaders and business elites across Latin America. This case also involved other high-profile figures, including current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was arrested in 2018.
Fernando Collor’s controversial presidency came to an abrupt end in 1992 when he was impeached and removed from office due to corruption charges. He later returned to politics and served as a senator for Alagoas from 2007 until his arrest.
Collor’s defense attorneys have not yet commented on the latest developments, and the full Supreme Court will vote soon to confirm his arrest and sentence.
