The former Brazilian president detained after being deemed a flight risk

Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a military coup in September and given more than a 27-year term in prison, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after fresh information were revealed.

This included attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a call for a demonstration that could enable a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a document approving the arrest, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his child.

His child, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on digital networks on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your country, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your sofa? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so followers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's determination was the potential of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of organizing to ask for protection through a consular facility", a announcement said.

The judicial paperwork emphasizes that the United States embassy in the capital, the capital city, is positioned around 13km from his dwelling.

International Reactions

His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist United States President President Trump, prompting him to enact a fifty percent tax on Brazilian product imports.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be allowed to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he required regular treatment for lung conditions and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his political opponent, President Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to assassinate the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the support of the armed forces officials. Lula was inaugurated without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, numerous his backers attacked and damaged official structures in the national capital, the capital city.

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

The justices found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to take action, restore order and return him to office.

At the moment, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the end of his sentence.

The former president called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 presidential election.