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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The ex-president was found guilty of planning a government overthrow in September and given more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under home detention pending legal challenges.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments came to light.

This involved attempting to break his ankle monitor and a call for a public vigil that could enable a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a filing authorising the custody, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the tracking monitor to ensure success in his flight.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his son.

His offspring, Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a gathering of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.

His son wrote on social media on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I urge you to struggle with us."

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

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's decision was the possibility of his transfer to foreign missions near the home, considering that the probes revealed a record of organizing to request asylum through a consular facility", a declaration said.

The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the capital, the capital city, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from the former president's residence.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist US President President Trump, causing him to implement a half-rate duty on goods coming from Brazil.

The former president is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will have a detention review on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be authorized to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Details of Guilty Verdict

He was found guilty of orchestrating a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the national vote to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a plot which included plans to murder the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the support of the military leaders. The current president was sworn in without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a seven days after, on 8 January, many Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the capital, the capital city.

The police stepped in and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The justices found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".

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

The one-time head of state called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 national vote.