Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.
The one-time leader was sentenced of orchestrating a government overthrow in September and handed more than over two decades in jail, but he remained under confinement pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after recent developments came to light.
This encompassed trying to remove his tracking device and a invitation to a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.
Court Filing Details Escape Concerns
In a document approving the arrest, the magistrate said information from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the former leader's aim to disable the tracking monitor to ensure success in his escape.
This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the protest called by his child.
His son, Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.
His son wrote on online platforms on last Friday: Will you battle for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could "pray for his physical condition and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the chance of Bolsonaro's transfer to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.
The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the capital, Brasilia, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.
Worldwide Consequences
Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist American leader Donald Trump, causing him to enact a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.
The former president is being detained in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on the following day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.
They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Background on Conviction
The former president was found guilty of leading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the presidential race to his ideological adversary, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to murder Lula and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing the former president's case.
The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the backing of the military leaders. Lula was took office without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a seven days after, on 8 January, thousands of his followers attacked and damaged official structures in the capital, Brazil's capital.
The law enforcement stepped in and around 1,500 people were detained.
The judges found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by him whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to intervene, reestablish control and return him to office.
At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.
He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.
The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.
