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The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a government overthrow in last fall and given more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under house arrest pending legal challenges.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.

This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a document approving the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his getaway".

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

His child, Flávio, who serves as a senator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on online platforms on Friday: Will you battle for your country, or see it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the possibility of his move to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The court filing emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brasilia, is located around 8 miles from his dwelling.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist US President President Trump, leading him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being detained in a national police facility in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on Sunday.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that he be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he needed ongoing care for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

He was found guilty of heading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to assassinate the current president and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing his judicial proceedings.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. The current president was sworn in without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a following week, on the eighth of January, thousands of his followers attacked and damaged official structures in the federal district, the capital city.

The law enforcement intervened and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The justices found that the protesters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also banned from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The one-time head of state called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.