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Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under domestic detention.

The ex-president was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in September and sentenced more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending appeals.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.

This encompassed attempting to break his tracking device and a call for a public vigil that could "allow for a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Flight Fears

In a document approving the custody, the judge said intelligence from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his flight.

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

His offspring, his son Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Will you battle for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so backers could offer prayers for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the potential of his transfer to embassies near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a history of organizing to seek refuge through a consular facility", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the United States embassy in the capital, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the Top Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also requested that he be allowed to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he demanded regular treatment for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

The former president was found guilty of leading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the presidential race to his left-wing rival, President Lula.

High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which involved plans to kill Lula and his running partner, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was thwarted because it failed to get the support of the army and air force commanders. Lula was took office without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the capital, Brasília.

The law enforcement intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.

The justices found that the protesters had been incited by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, restore order and reinstate his authority.

At the period, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from running for public office until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the completion of his term.

The former president called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the 2026 national vote.