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Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The ex-president was sentenced of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and sentenced more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.

This involved seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a call for a public vigil that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Flight Fears

In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his flight.

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a senator, called for a assembly of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on digital networks on the previous day: Will you battle for your country, or watch it all from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's determination was the potential of Bolsonaro's "relocation to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of planning to request asylum through a embassy office", a statement said.

The court filing highlights that the US embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is located around 13km from the former president's residence.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist US President Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also requested that the former president be authorized to leave his home for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a plot aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the 2022 election to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a plot which included plans to murder his opponent and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing his judicial proceedings.

The plot was thwarted because it didn't receive the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. Lula was took office without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his backers attacked and damaged public facilities in the capital, the capital city.

The police stepped in and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.

The judges found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.

At the period, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".

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

The former president called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him running in the 2026 national vote.