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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was found guilty of plotting a armed takeover in last fall and sentenced more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under house arrest pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after recent developments were revealed.

This encompassed attempting to break his tracking device and a call for a demonstration that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the arrest, the magistrate said information from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the surveillance device to ensure success in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His offspring, his son Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a meeting of his backers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your sofa? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the gathering would be so backers could "pray for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our land."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's decision was the chance of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of organizing to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around 13km from the former president's residence.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative American leader President Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.

Bolsonaro is being held in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will have a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also petitioned that he be authorized to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he required frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the presidential race to his ideological adversary, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plan which encompassed plans to assassinate his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The plot was stopped because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. The current president was inaugurated without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, many his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the capital, Brasília.

The security forces took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.

The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, restore order and return him to office.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The ex-leader called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the 2026 national vote.