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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The ex-president was convicted of orchestrating a government overthrow in last fall and sentenced more than 27 years in incarceration, but he continued under confinement pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments emerged.

This involved attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a call for a supporters' gathering that could "allow for a potential flight.

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

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

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on digital networks on Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or see it all from your phone there on your couch? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so backers could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's decision was the chance of his "relocation to embassies near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a background of organizing to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork highlights that the US embassy in the national capital, Brasilia, is situated around 8 miles from the former president's residence.

Worldwide Consequences

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being detained in a national police facility in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on the next day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also requested that he be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he required ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of orchestrating a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to kill his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it failed to get the endorsement of the armed forces officials. The current president was took office without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged public facilities in the capital, Brasília.

The law enforcement took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also barred from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.

The one-time head of state called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 national vote.