Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being declared a risk of fleeing
Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities concluded he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.
The ex-president was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under house arrest pending court reviews.
High Court Judge the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after fresh information were revealed.
This involved seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a call for a supporters' gathering that could enable a potential flight.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a paperwork permitting the custody, the judge said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the protest called by his son.
His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a legislator, called for a meeting of his supporters near the former president's residence to take place on the weekend.
His son wrote on online platforms on last Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I urge you to battle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the chance of his transfer to embassies near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brasilia, is positioned around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Worldwide Consequences
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Trump, prompting him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro is being detained in a national police facility in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on Sunday.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that the former president be authorized to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other health problems.
Context of Sentencing
The former president was convicted of orchestrating a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his ideological adversary, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
High Court judges said that he knew of a scheme which encompassed plans to assassinate the current president and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.
The plot was thwarted because it didn't receive the support of the military leaders. His successor was inaugurated without issue on the first day of 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed official structures in the national capital, the capital city.
The law enforcement intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.
The magistrates found that the rioters had been incited by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, restore order and return him to office.
At the moment, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.
The ex-leader called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him running in the next presidential race.