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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.

The former head of state was convicted of plotting a military coup in last fall and given more than over two decades in jail, but he remained under home detention pending legal challenges.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after "new facts" came to light.

This included seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a document approving the custody, the judge said information from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his escape.

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

His son, his son Flávio, who serves as a senator, called for a assembly of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on digital networks on the previous day: Will you battle for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I urge you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so backers could "pray for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the possibility of his move to embassies near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a background of planning to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the capital, Brasilia, is positioned around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative US President Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.

He is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will have a detention review on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

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

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to murder the current president and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the endorsement of the military leaders. Lula was took office without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his followers attacked and damaged official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

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

The justices found that the protesters had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to intervene, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

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

He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.