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The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than over two decades in prison, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after fresh information emerged.

This included trying to remove his tracking device and a call for a demonstration that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a document approving the custody, the magistrate said intelligence from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest 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 gathering called by his offspring.

His son, his son Flávio, who holds office as a legislator, called for a assembly of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

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 struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so supporters could "pray for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's determination was the possibility of his "relocation to embassies near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of organizing to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The legal document underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader President Trump, causing him to impose a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will experience a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also petitioned that he be permitted to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

The former president was convicted of orchestrating a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his political opponent, President Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to assassinate the current president and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The plot was prevented because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the military leaders. His successor was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, numerous his backers invaded and destroyed official structures in the capital, Brasília.

The police intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, restore order and return him to office.

At the period, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also barred from running for public office until 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The ex-leader called the legal proceedings a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 presidential election.