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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was convicted of plotting a armed takeover in last fall and sentenced more than a 27-year term in prison, but he continued under home detention pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a preventative measure after recent developments emerged.

This involved trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a call for a demonstration that could enable a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Flight Fears

In a document approving the custody, the magistrate said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's aim to disable the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his flight.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.

His offspring, Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday night.

The senator wrote on digital networks on Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the gathering would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the return of democracy in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the potential of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a announcement said.

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

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, leading him to enact a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

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

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that he be permitted to leave his home for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of leading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the national vote to his political opponent, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to kill his opponent and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was prevented because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without incident on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, numerous his followers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the national capital, Brasília.

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

The judges found that the demonstrators had been incited by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army 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 barred from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The former president called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him running in the 2026 national vote.