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

The ex-president was sentenced of planning a military coup in last fall and sentenced more than a 27-year term in prison, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments were revealed.

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

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's "intention to break the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the protest called by his son.

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

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the gathering would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to request asylum through a consular facility", a statement said.

The legal document highlights that the US embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is situated around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist US President Trump, causing him to implement a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

He is being held in a national police facility in the capital and will have a custody hearing on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be authorized to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

The former president was determined responsible of heading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a plan which involved plans to assassinate his opponent and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The scheme was prevented because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without issue on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, numerous his backers attacked and damaged public facilities in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

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

The justices found that the rioters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, restore order and reinstate his authority.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from running for public office until twenty-sixty - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The former president called the trial a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the 2026 presidential election.