The former Brazilian president arrested after being deemed a flight risk
The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.
The one-time leader was found guilty of plotting a armed takeover in the ninth month and given more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under house arrest pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after fresh information were revealed.
This involved attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a potential flight.
Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns
In a filing authorising the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his escape.
This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his son.
His child, Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
The senator wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to battle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the possibility of the former president's transfer to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of organizing to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.
The legal document emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, the capital city, is located around 13km from his dwelling.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist US President President Trump, prompting him to impose a fifty percent tax on Brazilian product imports.
The former president is being held in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will have a detention review on the next day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that the former president be authorized to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Context of Sentencing
He was convicted of orchestrating a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the national vote to his ideological adversary, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a plan which involved plans to assassinate Lula and his running partner, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.
The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the endorsement of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without issue on the first day of 2023.
But a seven days after, on 8 January, thousands of his backers attacked and damaged official structures in the federal district, BrasÃlia.
The law enforcement intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.
The magistrates found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, restore order and bring him back to power.
At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.
He was also banned from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The ex-leader called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the 2026 presidential election.