The former Brazilian president arrested after being declared a escape threat

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Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The one-time leader was convicted of orchestrating a government overthrow in September and given more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" were revealed.

This involved trying to remove his tracking device and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the former leader's aim to disable the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his flight.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the protest called by his offspring.

His offspring, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his followers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday night.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Will you battle for your nation, or see it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could "pray for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our nation."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the magistrate's ruling was the possibility of his transfer to embassies near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of planning to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.

The court filing emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is located around 8 miles from his dwelling.

International Reactions

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Trump, leading him to enact a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he needed regular treatment for lung conditions and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a scheme which encompassed plans to kill the current president and his VP candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The plot was thwarted because it didn't receive the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without incident on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on the eighth of January, thousands of his backers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the federal district, Brasília.

The police took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.

The judges found that the demonstrators had been provoked by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to take action, restore order and bring him back to power.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from running for public office until twenty-sixty - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The former president called the court case a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the next presidential race.

Victoria Grant
Victoria Grant

A seasoned journalist with over 15 years of experience covering UK politics and social issues, known for insightful reporting.