Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being considered a escape threat
Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.
The one-time leader was convicted of planning a government overthrow in the ninth month and handed more than over two decades in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending legal challenges.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments came to light.
This involved seeking to disable his tracking device and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.
Judicial Records Show Escape Risks
In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".
This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a legislator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
His son wrote on online platforms on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or see it all from your phone there on your settee? I urge you to battle with us."
He said the vigil 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 the judge's decision was the possibility of the former president's move to embassies 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, Brazil's capital, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.
International Reactions
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist American leader Donald Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
Bolsonaro is being held in a national police facility in the capital and will have a imprisonment assessment on the next day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be allowed to leave his home for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for lung conditions and other health problems.
Background on Conviction
Bolsonaro was convicted of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the presidential race to his left-wing rival, President Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which involved plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.
The conspiracy was stopped because it didn't receive the support of the armed forces officials. Lula was inaugurated without problem on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his backers attacked and damaged public facilities in the federal district, the capital city.
The police intervened and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.
The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.
At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also banned from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the court case a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the next presidential race.