The former Brazilian president arrested after being considered a risk of fleeing
Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The one-time leader was convicted of planning a government overthrow in September and given more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under confinement pending legal challenges.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments came to light.
This included attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could facilitate a chance to flee".
Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns
In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's aim to disable the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the protest called by his offspring.
His child, his son Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.
His son wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Will you battle for your nation, or see it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to battle with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the return of democracy in our land."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the magistrate's ruling was the chance of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a background of organizing to request asylum through a consular facility", a statement said.
The court filing highlights that the US embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around 8 miles from the former president's residence.
Worldwide Consequences
The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative US President Trump, leading him to enact a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.
The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in the capital and will experience a custody hearing on Sunday.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with tracking devices.
They also requested that the former president be permitted to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.
Background on Conviction
The former president was convicted of heading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the national vote to his left-wing rival, President Lula.
High Court judges said that he was aware of a plot which involved plans to kill Lula and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.
The plot was stopped because it didn't receive the support of the army and air force commanders. Lula was sworn in without problem on the first day of 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, thousands of his followers stormed and vandalised official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.
The law enforcement intervened and around 1,500 people were detained.
The judges found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, restore order and bring him back to power.
At the moment, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also barred from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The former president called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the next presidential race.