Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.
The former head of state was sentenced of plotting a military coup in the ninth month and sentenced more than 27 years in prison, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.
This included trying to remove his tracking device and a call for a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a potential flight.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a paperwork permitting the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his flight.
This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio, who serves as a legislator, called for a assembly of his followers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.
The senator wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the possibility of the former president's transfer to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to seek refuge through a embassy office", a declaration said.
The judicial paperwork highlights that the US embassy in the capital, Brasilia, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative US President Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.
He is being held in a national police facility in the capital 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 allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with tracking devices.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he required regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
The former president was determined responsible of heading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which involved plans to assassinate his opponent 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 conspiracy was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without incident on the first day of 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, numerous his followers attacked and damaged government buildings in the capital, the capital city.
The police took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.
The justices found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.
At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also barred from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.
The ex-leader called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 presidential election.
