The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The one-time leader was convicted of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and sentenced more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after recent developments were revealed.
This included attempting to break his ankle monitor and a call for a demonstration that could enable a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns
In a document approving the detention, the judge said information from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his getaway".
This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his child.
His child, his son Flávio, who serves as a senator, called for a assembly of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.
The senator wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or see it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I call on you to struggle with us."
He said the gathering would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our nation."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the judge's determination was the chance of the former president's transfer to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of planning to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.
The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is situated around 13km from his dwelling.
Global Responses
The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist American leader Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on goods coming from Brazil.
The former president is being held in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will have a detention review on the next day.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be authorized to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Context of Sentencing
Bolsonaro was found guilty of orchestrating a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he failed to win the national vote to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
High Court judges said that he knew of a plot which included plans to kill Lula and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing the former president's case.
The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the support of the army and air force commanders. His successor was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on 8 January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised government buildings in the capital, Brazil's capital.
The law enforcement stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.
The judges found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to intervene, restore order and reinstate his authority.
At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also barred from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the court case a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the next presidential race.
