Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.
The one-time leader was found guilty of planning a armed takeover in September and given more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a precautionary step after fresh information came to light.
This encompassed trying to remove his tracking device and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns
In a filing authorising the detention, the judge said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his child.
His offspring, his son Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his supporters near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on digital networks on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to struggle with us."
He said the gathering would be so backers could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the potential of his "relocation to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.
The court filing emphasizes that the United States embassy in the capital, the capital city, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from the former president's residence.
Global Responses
The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist US President Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.
Bolsonaro is being held in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will experience a imprisonment assessment on the next day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be authorized to leave his home for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other health problems.
Background on Conviction
Bolsonaro was convicted of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which included plans to assassinate the current president and his running partner, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been managing the former president's case.
The plot was prevented because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. The current president was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on January 8th, many his backers attacked and damaged government buildings in the federal district, Brasília.
The security forces took action and around 1,500 people were detained.
The justices found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and bring him back to power.
At the period, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the next presidential race.
