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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The one-time leader was sentenced of plotting a military coup in September and given more than 27 years in prison, but he remained under home detention 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 included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a document approving the detention, the magistrate said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his getaway".

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

His son, his son Flávio, who holds office as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."

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

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of his "relocation to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a record of organizing to seek refuge through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the US embassy in the capital, Brasilia, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

Worldwide Consequences

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, prompting him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being held in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will have a detention review on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the High Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that the former president be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.

Context of Sentencing

The former president was convicted of heading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his political opponent, Lula.

High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plan which encompassed plans to kill the current president and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing the former president's case.

The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the endorsement of the military leaders. His successor was inaugurated without incident on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on the eighth of January, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the capital, Brazil's capital.

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

The judges found that the protesters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the moment, the legal team called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The ex-leader called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the next presidential race.