🔗 Share this article Bolsonaro detained after being considered a risk of fleeing The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest. The former head of state was found guilty of orchestrating a military coup in September and handed more than a 27-year term in prison, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals. High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" came to light. This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a invitation to a demonstration that could "allow for a potential flight. Judicial Records Show Flight Fears In a paperwork permitting the arrest, the magistrate said intelligence from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's plan to remove the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his escape. This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child. His son, 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 night. Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your country, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to fight with us." He said the gathering would be so backers could "pray for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation." Embassy Asylum Concerns Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the potential of Bolsonaro's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of organizing to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said. The judicial paperwork highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brasilia, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home. Worldwide Consequences The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist American leader Donald Trump, prompting him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods. He is being held in a national police facility in Brasilia and will experience a detention review on Sunday. Latest Court Petitions It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under home confinement, with tracking devices. They also asked that he be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses. Context of Sentencing Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a plot aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, President Lula. High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plan which encompassed plans to murder his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings. The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. Lula was took office without problem on 1 January 2023. But a following week, on January 8th, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed public facilities in the federal district, Brazil's capital. The law enforcement intervened and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested. The justices found that the protesters had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, restore order and return him to office. At the moment, his attorneys called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh. He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment. The one-time head of state called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the 2026 presidential election.