The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under domestic detention.
The former head of state was convicted of planning a government overthrow in last fall and handed more than 27 years in incarceration, but he was staying under home detention pending legal challenges.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" emerged.
This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could "allow for a potential flight.
Court Filing Details Escape Risks
In a document approving the custody, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the former leader's "intention to break the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his getaway".
This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the protest called by his child.
His child, Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a meeting of his followers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.
The senator wrote on social media on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or see it all from your mobile device there on your settee? I urge you to battle with us."
He said the demonstration would be so backers could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."
Diplomatic Refuge Fears
Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the possibility of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of planning to seek refuge through a embassy office", a announcement said.
The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is situated around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.
Worldwide Consequences
The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.
He is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will have a detention review on Sunday.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with tracking devices.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be authorized to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
The former president was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, President Lula.
Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to murder Lula and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.
The scheme was stopped because it couldn't obtain the support of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without incident on January 1st, 2023.
But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed official structures in the capital, Brazil's capital.
The security forces intervened and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.
The justices found that the protesters had been incited by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to intervene, reestablish control and bring him back to power.
At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.
He was also barred from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years later after the end of his sentence.
The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 presidential election.
