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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in the ninth month and given more than 27 years in incarceration, but he was staying under house arrest pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after recent developments were revealed.

This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a summons to a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a document approving the arrest, the judge said intelligence from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his son.

His offspring, Flávio, who serves as a senator, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could "pray for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's decision was the possibility of the former president's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a record 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, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, causing him to impose a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on the next day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with digital surveillance.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

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

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to assassinate Lula and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The plot was stopped because it couldn't obtain the backing of the armed forces officials. The current president was took office without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, numerous his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.

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

The magistrates found that the protesters had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the moment, the legal team called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

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

The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 national vote.