Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under domestic detention.
The ex-president was found guilty of planning a military coup in last fall and given more than 27 years in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending appeals.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a safety action after recent developments came to light.
This involved trying to remove his ankle monitor and a invitation to a public vigil that could "allow for a possible escape.
Judicial Records Show Flight Fears
In a paperwork permitting the detention, the judge said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his flight.
This, it said, would be assisted by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his son.
His child, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your couch? I urge you to struggle with us."
He said the gathering would be so followers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the possibility of Bolsonaro's transfer to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a record of planning to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.
The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the capital, the capital city, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.
International Reactions
The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist United States President Donald Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.
Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will have a detention review on the next day.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the High Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that the former president be authorized to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Details of Guilty Verdict
The former president was convicted of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, President Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plot which included plans to murder the current president and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.
The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the backing of the military leaders. The current president was sworn in without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on January 8th, thousands of his followers stormed and vandalised official structures in the capital, the capital city.
The police intervened and around 1,500 people were detained.
The judges found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to step in, bring back stability and return him to office.
At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.
He was also barred from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The former president called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him running in the 2026 presidential election.
