Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.
The ex-president was convicted of plotting a armed takeover in September and given more than 27 years in jail, but he continued under confinement pending court reviews.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after "new facts" were revealed.
This involved trying to remove his tracking device and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could enable a chance to flee".
Court Filing Details Escape Risks
In a document approving the arrest, the magistrate said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his flight.
This, it said, would be assisted by the disorder caused by the protest called by his child.
His son, Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.
The senator wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Will you battle for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your settee? I invite you to battle 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 land."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the magistrate's determination was the chance of his transfer to embassies near the home, considering that the probes revealed a record of planning to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.
The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro is being held in a Federal Police station in the capital and will experience a custody hearing on the next day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that the former president be permitted to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he needed regular treatment for lung conditions and other ailments.
Context of Sentencing
The former president was found guilty of orchestrating a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, President Lula.
High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plot which involved plans to kill the current president and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.
The conspiracy was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. The current president was took office without incident on the first day of 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, numerous his backers attacked and damaged official structures in the federal district, the capital city.
The security forces took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.
The magistrates found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to intervene, bring back stability and bring him back to power.
At the period, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also banned from running for public office until the year 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The former president called the legal proceedings a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.
