The former Brazilian president arrested after being declared a risk of fleeing

The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The ex-president was sentenced of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and given more than 27 years in jail, but he remained under house arrest pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a safety action after recent developments were revealed.

This encompassed seeking to disable his tracking device and a call for a demonstration that could "allow for a potential flight.

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the custody, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his child.

His child, Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a assembly of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on digital networks on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your phone there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the return of democracy in our land."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the magistrate's determination was the possibility of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.

The court filing underscores that the United States embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

Worldwide Consequences

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, leading him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being kept in a national police facility in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that he be authorized to leave his home for healthcare, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Details of Guilty Verdict

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the presidential race to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been managing the former president's case.

The conspiracy was prevented because it didn't receive the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. Lula was inaugurated without incident on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged government buildings in the national capital, the capital city.

The police intervened and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The magistrates found that the rioters had been encouraged by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, restore order and reinstate his authority.

At the period, the legal team called the 27 years and three months sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the end of his sentence.

The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the next presidential race.