Jair Bolsonaro arrested after being deemed a risk of fleeing
Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.
The former head of state was sentenced of planning a military coup in the ninth month and given more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under house arrest pending court reviews.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a preventative measure after fresh information were revealed.
This included trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a call for a demonstration that could enable a chance to flee".
Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks
In a paperwork permitting the arrest, the judge said intelligence from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the protest called by his child.
His son, FlΓ‘vio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.
The senator wrote on online platforms on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or see it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I urge you to struggle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so followers could "pray for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of the magistrate's determination was the possibility of Bolsonaro's transfer to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of arranging to seek refuge through a consular facility", a declaration said.
The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 13km from the former president's residence.
International Reactions
The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist United States President President Trump, leading him to implement a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.
The former president is being held in a national police facility in Brasilia and will have a detention review on Sunday.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to complete his entire prison term under home confinement, with digital surveillance.
They also petitioned that he be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he needed ongoing care for lung conditions and other ailments.
Background on Conviction
He was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plot which involved plans to kill Lula and his running partner, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing his judicial proceedings.
The plot was thwarted because it failed to get the endorsement of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a week later, on January 8th, many Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged official structures in the capital, Brazil's capital.
The law enforcement intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.
The judges found that the protesters had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and return him to office.
At the moment, the legal team called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also barred from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The one-time head of state called the legal proceedings a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.