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

The one-time leader was convicted of orchestrating a military coup in the ninth month and handed more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under house arrest pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the move to detain the elderly politician was a safety action after fresh information came to light.

This included attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a call for a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or observe everything from your phone there on your settee? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the possibility of Bolsonaro's transfer to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a embassy office", a statement said.

The court filing underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, the capital city, is situated around 13km from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

He is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will have a detention review on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also petitioned that the former president be allowed to leave his home for healthcare, saying he required frequent medical attention for pulmonary infections and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the presidential race to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been managing his judicial proceedings.

The plot was thwarted because it failed to get the support of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, many his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.

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

The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to step in, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the moment, the legal team called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The one-time head of state called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 national vote.