Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being considered a risk of fleeing
Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.
The ex-president was found guilty of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and given more than over two decades in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews.
High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after fresh information emerged.
This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a demonstration that could "allow for a chance to flee".
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a paperwork permitting the custody, the magistrate said data from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's plan to remove the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his child.
His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a assembly of his supporters near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday night.
His son wrote on digital networks on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so supporters could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the chance of the former president's "relocation to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of planning to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The court filing underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brasilia, is situated around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.
Worldwide Consequences
The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Donald Trump, causing him to impose a fifty percent tax on Brazilian product imports.
He is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will experience a custody hearing on Sunday.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that he be allowed to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he needed ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Background on Conviction
He was determined responsible of leading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to murder the current president and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been presiding over the former president's case.
The scheme was thwarted because it failed to get the support of the military leaders. His successor was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a week later, on 8 January, many his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the national capital, Brasília.
The law enforcement stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.
The judges found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to take action, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.
At the time, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The former president called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 national vote.
