Jair Bolsonaro arrested after being deemed a flight risk
The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.
The ex-president was convicted of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and sentenced more than a 27-year term in jail, but he remained under confinement pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after recent developments were revealed.
This involved seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a call for a demonstration that could facilitate a possible escape.
Court Filing Details Flight Fears
In a document approving the custody, the magistrate said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's plan to remove the tracking monitor to ensure success in his getaway".
This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his child.
His offspring, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.
Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: Will you battle for your nation, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I urge 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 nation."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the possibility of the former president's move to embassies near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a announcement said.
The court filing highlights that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.
Worldwide Consequences
His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.
The former president is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on Sunday.
Latest Court Petitions
It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with digital surveillance.
They also asked that Bolsonaro be authorized to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he needed frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses.
Background on Conviction
He was determined responsible of heading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he failed to win the presidential race to his ideological adversary, President Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which included plans to murder Lula and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.
The conspiracy was thwarted because it couldn't obtain the backing of the army and air force commanders. His successor was inaugurated without problem on January 1st, 2023.
But a following week, on 8 January, many Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed government buildings in the federal district, Brasília.
The police intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.
The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been incited by him whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, reestablish control and bring him back to power.
At the time, his attorneys called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years later after the end of his sentence.
The former president called the court case a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the next presidential race.