🔗 Share this article

The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under domestic detention.

The ex-president was sentenced of planning a armed takeover in the ninth month and handed more than 27 years in prison, but he remained under house arrest pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after fresh information emerged.

This included attempting to break his tracking device and a invitation to a demonstration that could facilitate a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's "intention to break the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his escape.

This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his offspring.

His son, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his backers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on social media on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or observe everything from your phone there on your settee? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our nation."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's decision was the chance of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a consular facility", a announcement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the United States embassy in the capital, the capital city, is situated around 8 miles from his dwelling.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

He is being held in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

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

Context of Sentencing

He was determined responsible of heading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the 2022 election to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plot which encompassed plans to kill his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the support of the military leaders. Lula was took office without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on the eighth of January, many Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed government buildings in the federal district, Brasília.

The security forces took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.

The judges found that the rioters had been provoked by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The one-time head of state called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him running in the next presidential race.