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Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.

The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in September and sentenced more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under home detention pending appeals.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the elderly politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" were revealed.

This encompassed trying to remove his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could facilitate a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Escape Risks

In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the centre monitoring 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 assisted by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His offspring, Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his supporters near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.

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

He said the gathering would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the chance of the former president's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of organizing to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing highlights that the US embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is located around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative US President Trump, prompting him to implement a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.

He is being held in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will experience a detention review on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

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

They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be authorized to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he demanded ongoing care for lung conditions and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of orchestrating a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he failed to win the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to kill Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing the former president's case.

The plot was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. His successor was sworn in without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, Brasília.

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

The magistrates found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and bring him back to power.

At the moment, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from running for public office until twenty-sixty - eight years later 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.