Bolsonaro arrested after being deemed a flight risk
The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.
The former head of state was found guilty of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and handed more than 27 years in incarceration, but he was staying under house arrest pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after recent developments emerged.
This encompassed attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a summons to a demonstration that could "allow for a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks
In a filing authorising the arrest, Justice Moraes said information from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his getaway".
This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.
His child, Flávio, who serves as a senator, called for a assembly of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on digital networks on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your country, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to struggle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the magistrate's determination was the possibility of the former president's move to embassies near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of organizing to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.
The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Trump, leading him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
Bolsonaro is being kept in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will experience a custody hearing on the following day.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under home confinement, with digital surveillance.
They also asked that Bolsonaro be permitted to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
Bolsonaro was convicted of heading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his political opponent, President Lula.
High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plot which included plans to kill Lula and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.
The plot was stopped because it didn't receive the support of the military leaders. Lula was took office without incident on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the capital, the capital city.
The security forces took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.
The judges found that the rioters had been incited by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, restore order and return him to office.
At the moment, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also banned from seeking elected position until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The ex-leader called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 national vote.