The former Brazilian president arrested after being deemed a flight risk
Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.
The former head of state was convicted of plotting a military coup in the ninth month and given more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under confinement pending legal challenges.
High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after fresh information came to light.
This encompassed seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could "allow for a chance to flee".
Judicial Records Show Escape Risks
In a filing authorising the detention, the magistrate said data from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the former leader's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the protest called by his son.
His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.
His son wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Will you battle for your country, or see it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to battle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so backers could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the magistrate's ruling was the chance of Bolsonaro's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of organizing to seek refuge through a consular facility", a statement said.
The legal document highlights that the US embassy in the national capital, Brasilia, is located around 8 miles from his dwelling.
Worldwide Consequences
Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist United States President President Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.
He is being held in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a custody hearing on the following day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with tracking devices.
They also requested that the former president be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he required frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses.
Background on Conviction
Bolsonaro was determined responsible of heading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a plan which encompassed plans to murder the current president and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.
The conspiracy was thwarted because it failed to get the support of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without issue on 1 January 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the federal district, the capital city.
The security forces stepped in and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.
The magistrates found that the protesters had been incited by him whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, restore order and bring him back to power.
At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.