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The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The ex-president was convicted of plotting a armed takeover in September and sentenced more than a 27-year term in jail, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a safety action after "new facts" emerged.

This included trying to remove his tracking device and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could enable a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a paperwork permitting the arrest, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring his home detention suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his offspring.

His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a legislator, called for a meeting of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on digital networks on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or see it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I call on you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so followers could offer prayers for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's ruling was the possibility of Bolsonaro's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of organizing to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brasilia, is located around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.

Worldwide Consequences

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.

Bolsonaro is being held in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a detention review on Sunday.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with digital surveillance.

They also petitioned that the former president be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other ailments.

Background on Conviction

He was convicted of heading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the 2022 election to his political opponent, President Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a plot which involved plans to kill the current president and his running partner, Geraldo Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing the former president's case.

The plot was stopped because it couldn't obtain the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was inaugurated without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, many Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, Brazil's capital.

The law enforcement intervened and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.

The magistrates found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also banned from running for public office until the year 2060 - 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 competing in the 2026 national vote.