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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was found guilty of plotting a armed takeover in September and sentenced more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he was staying under confinement pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a safety action after "new facts" were revealed.

This included attempting to break his tracking device and a call for a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a document approving the custody, the magistrate said information from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the surveillance device to ensure success in his flight.

This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his son.

His son, his son Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a gathering of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on digital networks on Friday: Will you battle for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your settee? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the chance of the former president's "relocation to embassies near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a record of arranging to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The court filing emphasizes that the US embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is positioned around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, leading him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also asked that the former president be allowed to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he required ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

Bolsonaro was found guilty of orchestrating a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plot which involved plans to assassinate his opponent and his running partner, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was prevented because it couldn't obtain the backing of the military leaders. His successor was sworn in without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, thousands of his backers attacked and damaged government buildings in the capital, Brasília.

The police stepped in and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The judges found that the rioters had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, reestablish control and return him to office.

At the moment, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 presidential election.