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

The one-time leader was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in the ninth month and handed more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under home detention pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a precautionary step after fresh information were revealed.

This involved trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".

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

His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a meeting of his supporters near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on online platforms on Friday: Will you battle for your country, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I urge you to struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so followers could "pray for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's determination was the possibility of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a record of organizing to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Trump, causing him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being held in a national police facility in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to authorize him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with digital surveillance.

They also petitioned that the former president be permitted to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he needed regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was convicted of orchestrating a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to murder his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The plot was prevented because it failed to get the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on the eighth of January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised government buildings in the national capital, Brazil's capital.

The law enforcement intervened and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.

The judges found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also barred from running for public office until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the completion of his term.

The ex-leader called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 presidential election.