Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.
The ex-president was convicted of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and handed more than 27 years in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews.
High Court Judge the presiding justice said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after recent developments came to light.
This included attempting to break his tracking device and a call for a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.
Court Filing Details Flight Fears
In a filing authorising the custody, the magistrate said intelligence from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his escape.
This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his son.
His offspring, his son Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.
His son wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your country, or watch it all from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so followers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our nation."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the potential of the former president's "relocation to embassies near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a consular facility", a statement said.
The judicial paperwork underscores that the US embassy in the capital, the capital city, is positioned around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.
Global Responses
Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist American leader President Trump, causing him to enact a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
He is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will have a detention review on Sunday.
Recent Legal Requests
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with digital surveillance.
They also asked that he be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he needed ongoing care for lung conditions and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
The former president was determined responsible of heading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the presidential race to his political opponent, President Lula.
High Court judges said that he was aware of a plot which involved plans to murder Lula and his running partner, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing his judicial proceedings.
The conspiracy was thwarted because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. Lula was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on 8 January, many his followers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the capital, Brazil's capital.
The law enforcement stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.
The judges found that the demonstrators had been provoked by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to step in, reestablish control and return him to office.
At the moment, the legal team called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also barred from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The one-time head of state called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him running in the next presidential race.
