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Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The former head of state was found guilty of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and handed more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the move to detain the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments were revealed.

This involved trying to remove his ankle monitor and a call for a demonstration that could facilitate a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the detention, the judge said information from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his getaway".

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his son.

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a gathering of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.

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

He said the demonstration would be so supporters could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's determination was the possibility of his transfer to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a background of organizing to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.

The judicial paperwork highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brasilia, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from his dwelling.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist US President Trump, leading him to impose a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

He is being held in a national police facility in the capital and will undergo a detention review on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also requested that he be allowed to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he required regular treatment for lung conditions and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was convicted of leading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the national vote to his political opponent, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to murder Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the support of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The police stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by him whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to step in, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

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

He was also prohibited from running for public office until the year 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.

The one-time head of state called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 national vote.