The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.
The former head of state was found guilty of planning a government overthrow in the ninth month and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after recent developments were revealed.
This included attempting to break his tracking device and a summons to a demonstration that could enable a chance to flee".
Judicial Records Show Escape Risks
In a paperwork permitting the arrest, the judge said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his flight.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a senator, called for a gathering of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday night.
His son wrote on online platforms on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your phone there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."
He said the gathering would be so followers could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the magistrate's determination was the chance of Bolsonaro's transfer to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of planning to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.
The legal document emphasizes that the US embassy in the capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist United States President Trump, prompting him to impose a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.
The former president is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will experience a custody hearing on the following day.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with digital surveillance.
They also requested that the former president be authorized to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he required ongoing care for respiratory ailments and other ailments.
Context of Sentencing
Bolsonaro was convicted of leading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the national vote to his left-wing rival, President Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plan which included plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.
The conspiracy was thwarted because it didn't receive the endorsement of the military leaders. Lula was took office without incident on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the federal district, the capital city.
The police stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.
The magistrates found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, bring back stability and bring him back to power.
At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
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 targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the next presidential race.
