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Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was convicted of planning a military coup in last fall and given more than 27 years in prison, but he remained under house arrest pending legal challenges.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.

This included seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the detention, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the protest called by his offspring.

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

His son wrote on digital networks on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could offer prayers for his health and for the return of democracy in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's decision was the potential of Bolsonaro's transfer to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a background of arranging to request asylum through a consular facility", a declaration said.

The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brasilia, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a custody hearing on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the Top Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he required ongoing care for lung conditions and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

The former president was found guilty of heading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.

High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which involved plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The scheme was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the armed forces officials. The current president was sworn in without issue on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, many his backers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the national capital, the capital city.

The law enforcement stepped in and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been provoked by him whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, restore order and bring him back to power.

At the moment, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also barred from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.

The ex-leader called the trial a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 national vote.