Bolsonaro arrested after being deemed a flight risk

Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and sentenced more than a 27-year term in incarceration, but he remained under home detention pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments emerged.

This involved attempting to break his ankle monitor and a call for a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a filing authorising the custody, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his child.

His child, his son Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

The senator wrote on digital networks on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or see it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I urge you to struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so followers could offer prayers for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's decision was the potential of his move to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a history of organizing to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The court filing emphasizes that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is located around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative US President Trump, causing him to implement a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a custody hearing on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be allowed to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other ailments.

Background on Conviction

The former president was found guilty of heading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his ideological adversary, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a plot which included plans to kill Lula and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.

The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the support of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his backers stormed and vandalised official structures in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The security forces stepped in and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the time, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

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

The former president called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 national vote.