The former Brazilian president arrested after being considered a escape threat

The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was sentenced of planning a armed takeover in September and handed more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under confinement pending appeals.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.

This included attempting to break his ankle monitor and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could "allow for a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a document approving the detention, the magistrate said information from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the tracking monitor to ensure success in his flight.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his child.

His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a assembly of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

The senator wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your settee? I call on you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's determination was the potential of his move to embassies near the home, considering that the probes revealed a background of arranging to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being kept in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a detention review on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under home confinement, with tracking devices.

They also requested that he be authorized to leave his home for healthcare, saying he needed regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

He was found guilty of orchestrating a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the national vote to his left-wing rival, President Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to kill his opponent and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it didn't receive the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was sworn in without incident on the first day of 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his followers stormed and vandalised official structures in the national capital, Brasília.

The security forces intervened and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The judges found that the rioters had been incited by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, reestablish control and return him to office.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from running for public office until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 national vote.