Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and sentenced more than 27 years in incarceration, but he remained under confinement pending court reviews.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the move to detain the elderly politician was a preventative measure after recent developments were revealed.
This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a potential flight.
Court Filing Details Flight Fears
In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the protest called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a gathering of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
His son wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so backers could "pray for his physical condition and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the judge's determination was the chance of his transfer to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from the former president's residence.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist United States President Trump, causing him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize 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 medical treatment, saying he needed regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other health problems.
Background on Conviction
He was convicted of heading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the presidential race to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plot which involved plans to assassinate Lula and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.
The plot was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders. The current president was sworn in without problem on the first day of 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his followers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, Brasília.
The police took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.
The judges found that the protesters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, restore order and bring him back to power.
At the period, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The former president called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 national vote.
