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Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was convicted of plotting a military coup in the ninth month and given more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he was staying under house arrest pending court reviews.

Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the move to detain the elderly politician was a safety action after "new facts" emerged.

This encompassed seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a summons to a public vigil that could facilitate a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a document approving the custody, the magistrate said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the protest called by his offspring.

His son, Flávio, who serves as a legislator, called for a gathering of his followers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your phone there on your settee? I urge you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could "pray for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's determination was the possibility of Bolsonaro's move to embassies near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

Worldwide Consequences

The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist United States President Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being held in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a custody hearing on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be permitted to leave his home for medical care, saying he required frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

He was convicted of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his political opponent, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a scheme which encompassed plans to assassinate his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was stopped because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was sworn in without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a following week, on the eighth of January, numerous his followers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The law enforcement stepped in and around 1,500 people were detained.

The magistrates found that the rioters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to step in, restore order and reinstate his authority.

At the time, the legal team called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The ex-leader called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the next presidential race.