Former Campo Grande Mayor Alcides Bernal Dies After Health Crisis in Prison

Alcides Bernal, the former mayor of Campo Grande, Brazil, died on Monday, August 13th, after experiencing a medical emergency at the Military Prison. His defense team had repeatedly sought his release, filing three requests for house arrest and two habeas corpus petitions prior to his death. The legal team argued that Bernal, who was imprisoned for the death of public servant Roberto Carlos Mazzini over a property dispute, faced a high risk of sudden death due to severe cardiac conditions. Medical reports indicated significant blockages in his coronary arteries, including a 90% re-occlusion near a previous stent, and a history of three heart attacks. The defense also highlighted his severe depression and panic attacks, exacerbated by the stress of incarceration. They contended that the prison lacked the necessary infrastructure, including an ICU and on-duty cardiologist, to handle cardiac emergencies, and that Bernal was responsible for managing his own complex medication regimen. Despite these urgent medical concerns, the court denied his final request for humanitarian house arrest shortly before he fell ill. Bernal had previously been hospitalized on June 30th for a cardiac procedure but returned to prison. He was again taken to the hospital over the weekend after collapsing at the facility, where he was admitted to the ICU before his passing. Bernal had a notable political career, serving as a city councilor, state deputy, and mayor of Campo Grande, though his mayoral term was briefly interrupted by impeachment in 2014 before he was reinstated by a court decision in 2015.