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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.

The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a armed takeover in September and handed more than a 27-year term in prison, but he remained under house arrest pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.

This involved seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a summons to a public vigil that could facilitate a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the arrest, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the protest called by his offspring.

His offspring, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on social media on Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I urge you to struggle with us."

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

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the potential of the former president's transfer to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to seek refuge through a embassy office", a statement said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is located around 8 miles from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist United States President President Trump, prompting him to implement a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

He is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a custody hearing on the following day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be authorized to leave his home for healthcare, saying he demanded regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was convicted of heading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the presidential race to his left-wing rival, President Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to kill Lula and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The scheme was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was sworn in without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, many his backers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.

The law enforcement took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.

The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army to step in, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the time, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also banned from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The ex-leader called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.