The former Brazilian president taken into custody after being deemed a risk of fleeing

Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and sentenced more than over two decades in jail, but he remained under confinement pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.

This included seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could facilitate a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a filing authorising the custody, the magistrate said data from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his flight.

This, it said, would be assisted by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his child.

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

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or see it all from your mobile device there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could "pray for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's decision was the chance of the former president's transfer to embassies near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a consular facility", a statement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around 13km from his dwelling.

Worldwide Consequences

The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on goods coming from Brazil.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that he be allowed to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Context of Sentencing

The former president was convicted of leading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a plot which included plans to kill Lula and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been overseeing the former president's case.

The scheme was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the military leaders. Lula was sworn in without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, numerous Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged government buildings in the federal district, Brasília.

The law enforcement intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The judges found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to take action, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also banned from running for public office until 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The ex-leader called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the next presidential race.