The former Brazilian president arrested after being deemed a risk of fleeing

Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.

The ex-president was found guilty of planning a armed takeover in the ninth month and handed more than a 27-year term in prison, but he was staying under home detention pending court reviews.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after fresh information emerged.

This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a call for a supporters' gathering that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a paperwork permitting the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the former leader's "intention to break the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the protest called by his offspring.

His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a senator, called for a meeting of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on social media on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."

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

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the possibility of his transfer to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of planning to request asylum through a embassy office", a statement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

Worldwide Consequences

His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, prompting him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will undergo a detention review on the next day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the Top Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that he be permitted to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

The former president was determined responsible of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a plan which included plans to assassinate his opponent and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was stopped because it didn't receive the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was inaugurated without incident on January 1st, 2023.

But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, many his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The security forces took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.

The judges found that the demonstrators had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, restore order and bring him back to power.

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

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

The ex-leader called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him running in the 2026 national vote.