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Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The former head of state was sentenced of planning a military coup in the ninth month and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending legal challenges.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments emerged.

This included trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could facilitate a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a filing authorising the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his child.

His offspring, Flávio, who works as a senator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

The senator wrote on digital networks on Friday: Will you battle for your country, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I call on you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our nation."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the chance of his move to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President President Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being kept in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also petitioned that the former president be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he needed ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

The former president was found guilty of orchestrating a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a scheme which included plans to murder his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing the former president's case.

The conspiracy was stopped because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. His successor was took office without incident on the first day of 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, many his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the federal district, Brasília.

The law enforcement took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.

The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been incited by him whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the period, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.

The ex-leader called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the 2026 national vote.