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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.

The former head of state was found guilty of planning a armed takeover in September and given more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under home detention pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" were revealed.

This involved seeking to disable his tracking device and a invitation to a demonstration that could "allow for a possible escape.

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a document approving the detention, the magistrate said information from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his flight.

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

His child, his son Flávio, who works as a senator, called for a gathering of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or watch it all from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so backers could "pray for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the magistrate's decision was the chance of Bolsonaro's move to embassies near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a record of arranging to ask for protection through a consular facility", a announcement said.

The legal document underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist United States President President Trump, causing him to enact a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he needed regular treatment for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

The former president was convicted of heading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to assassinate his opponent and his running partner, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. Lula was inaugurated without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a seven days after, on 8 January, many his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the federal district, the capital city.

The police intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The magistrates found that the protesters had been incited by him whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the time, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

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

The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him running in the next presidential race.