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

The former head of state was found guilty of plotting a armed takeover in September and sentenced more than a 27-year term in prison, but he continued under home detention pending appeals.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a preventative measure after fresh information emerged.

This encompassed trying to remove his tracking device and a call for a public vigil that could enable a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the custody, the magistrate said intelligence from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the tracking monitor to ensure success in his getaway".

This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the protest called by his offspring.

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on online platforms on last Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so backers could "pray for his physical condition and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the potential of the former president's "relocation to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of arranging to ask for protection through a consular facility", a announcement said.

The legal document underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brasilia, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist US President Donald Trump, causing him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being kept in a national police facility in the capital and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

They also petitioned that he be allowed to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was found guilty of orchestrating a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he failed to win the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to assassinate the current president and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing the former president's case.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, numerous his followers attacked and damaged public facilities in the federal district, the capital city.

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

The judges found that the rioters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also barred from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The ex-leader called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him competing in the next presidential race.