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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The former head of state was sentenced of plotting a government overthrow in last fall and handed more than 27 years in prison, but he remained under house arrest pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after recent developments emerged.

This encompassed seeking to disable his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could facilitate a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the protest called by his offspring.

His offspring, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his followers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.

His son wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I call on you to struggle with us."

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

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's decision was the possibility of Bolsonaro's transfer to embassies near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a background of planning to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

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.

He is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will undergo a custody hearing on Sunday.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with digital surveillance.

They also requested that the former president be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other ailments.

Details of Guilty Verdict

The former president was determined responsible of heading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the presidential race to his ideological adversary, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a plot which encompassed plans to kill Lula and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing his judicial proceedings.

The plot was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, many his backers invaded and destroyed official structures in the federal district, the capital city.

The police intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.

The judges found that the protesters had been encouraged by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to take action, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also barred from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years after the completion of his term.

The ex-leader called the trial a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 presidential election.