Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being considered a risk of fleeing

Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was found guilty of planning a armed takeover in the ninth month and given more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he remained under home detention pending legal challenges.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments emerged.

This included seeking to disable his tracking device and a call for a supporters' gathering that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a document approving the arrest, the judge said information from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a senator, called for a gathering of his supporters near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on social media on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I urge you to battle with us."

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

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's ruling was the potential of Bolsonaro's move to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a background of arranging to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.

The court filing highlights that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brasilia, is positioned around 13km from the former president's residence.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Donald Trump, leading him to implement a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also requested that the former president be permitted to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other ailments.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the national vote to his ideological adversary, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a scheme which involved plans to assassinate his opponent and his running partner, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the support of the military leaders. The current president was took office without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, many his backers attacked and damaged government buildings in the federal district, the capital city.

The police intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The judges found that the demonstrators had been incited by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and return him to office.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also banned from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The ex-leader called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the 2026 national vote.