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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was sentenced of plotting a government overthrow in the ninth month and given more than over two decades in prison, but he was staying under house arrest pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a safety action after "new facts" came to light.

This included attempting to break his ankle monitor and a call for a public vigil that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the tracking monitor to ensure success in his flight.

This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His offspring, Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.

His son wrote on social media on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your settee? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the chance of the former president's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of arranging to request asylum through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, the capital city, is situated around 8 miles from the former president's residence.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative US President Trump, leading him to implement a fifty percent tax on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being held in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will undergo a detention review on Sunday.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with tracking devices.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be authorized to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he required regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

He was convicted of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the presidential race to his political opponent, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plot which included plans to murder Lula and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was prevented because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. The current president was inaugurated without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The law enforcement intervened and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.

The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and bring him back to power.

At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years later after the end of his sentence.

The former president called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 national vote.