Jair Bolsonaro arrested after being considered a risk of fleeing

Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The former head of state was found guilty of planning a government overthrow in September and handed more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under home detention pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.

This involved attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a call for a public vigil that could facilitate a possible escape.

Judicial Records Show Flight Fears

In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the former leader's plan to remove the tracking monitor to ensure success in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.

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

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on digital networks on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so followers could "pray for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the magistrate's ruling was the chance of Bolsonaro's "relocation to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of planning to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The court filing emphasizes that the United States embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

Worldwide Consequences

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist US President Donald Trump, leading him to implement a fifty percent tax on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being kept in a national police facility in the capital and will experience a detention review on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the High Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that he be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he needed ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which encompassed plans to murder Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing the former president's case.

The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on the eighth of January, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.

The police took action and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The judges found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.

At the period, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the end of his sentence.

The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the next presidential race.