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Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was found guilty of plotting a military coup in September and handed more than over two decades in incarceration, but he remained under confinement pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after fresh information emerged.

This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could "allow for a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his getaway".

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

His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a legislator, called for a meeting of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

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

He said the vigil would be so backers could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the chance of the former president's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The court filing highlights that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is located around 8 miles from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist United States President President Trump, leading him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

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

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that the former president be allowed to leave his home for healthcare, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was convicted of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a plot which encompassed plans to murder Lula and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing the former president's case.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, numerous his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The police stepped in and around 1,500 people were arrested.

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

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also barred from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The one-time head of state called the court case a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 national vote.