Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.
The ex-president was convicted of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and given more than over two decades in incarceration, but he continued under house arrest pending appeals.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the move to detain the elderly politician was a precautionary step after fresh information were revealed.
This included seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a invitation to a demonstration that could "allow for a possible escape.
Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears
In a filing authorising the custody, the magistrate said information from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the protest called by his child.
His son, Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his supporters near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.
His son wrote on digital networks on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I call on you to fight with us."
He said the vigil would be so supporters could "pray for his health and for the return of democracy in our country."
Foreign Shelter Risks
Part of the judge's ruling was the chance of the former president's move to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to seek refuge through a consular facility", a announcement said.
The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from the former president's residence.
International Reactions
Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist US President Trump, prompting him to enact a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.
Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will experience a detention review on Sunday.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on the previous day that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that Bolsonaro be permitted to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other ailments.
Details of Guilty Verdict
Bolsonaro was determined responsible of heading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the presidential race to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Top judicial officials said that he was aware of a scheme which involved plans to murder his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been managing his judicial proceedings.
The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was inaugurated without problem on January 1st, 2023.
But a week later, on January 8th, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed public facilities in the capital, Brazil's capital.
The security forces stepped in and around 1,500 people were detained.
The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been provoked by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, restore order and reinstate his authority.
At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.
He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.
The former president called the legal proceedings a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the next presidential race.
