Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.
The former head of state was convicted of plotting a military coup in the ninth month and given more than a 27-year term in prison, but he continued under home detention pending appeals.
Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after fresh information were revealed.
This encompassed seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could facilitate a potential flight.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a filing authorising the arrest, the magistrate said intelligence from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's plan to remove the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".
This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the protest called by his child.
His offspring, Flávio, who serves as a legislator, called for a gathering of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.
His son wrote on online platforms on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to battle with us."
He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his health and for the return of democracy in our land."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of Bolsonaro's move to embassies near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a record of arranging to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The court filing emphasizes that the US embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is located around 13km from the former president's residence.
International Reactions
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist United States President Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
He is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will have 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 permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.
They also petitioned that the former president be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other health problems.
Details of Guilty Verdict
The former president was determined responsible of heading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his political opponent, President Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a plan which included plans to kill his opponent and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing his judicial proceedings.
The scheme was stopped because it couldn't obtain the support of the military leaders. His successor was took office without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a week later, on 8 January, numerous his backers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the capital, the capital city.
The security forces stepped in and around 1,500 people were arrested.
The judges found that the protesters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.
At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also prohibited from running for public office until twenty-sixty - eight years after the end of his sentence.
The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him participating in the next presidential race.
