Jair Bolsonaro detained after being declared a flight risk
Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.
The ex-president was found guilty of planning a armed takeover in September and handed more than 27 years in incarceration, but he was staying under home detention pending court reviews.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after "new facts" emerged.
This included attempting to break his tracking device and a invitation to a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a filing authorising the detention, the magistrate said data from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the former leader's "intention to break the surveillance device to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the protest called by his offspring.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a legislator, called for a meeting of his followers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or watch it all from your phone there on your settee? I urge you to fight with us."
He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of the former president's "relocation to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of planning to ask for protection through a embassy office", a announcement said.
The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.
International Reactions
His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader President Trump, prompting him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.
He is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on the following day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that he be allowed to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other health problems.
Background on Conviction
Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a plot which encompassed plans to assassinate his opponent and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.
The conspiracy was stopped because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without problem on 1 January 2023.
But a week later, on January 8th, thousands of his followers attacked and damaged government buildings in the national capital, the capital city.
The law enforcement stepped in and around 1,500 people were arrested.
The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and return him to office.
At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also banned from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The former president called the legal proceedings a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.