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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a military coup in last fall and sentenced more than over two decades in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" came to light.

This involved trying to remove his tracking device and a invitation to a public vigil that could enable a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the custody, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his child.

His child, Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on online platforms on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I invite you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the magistrate's ruling was the possibility of the former president's transfer to foreign missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is situated around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative United States President Donald Trump, prompting him to implement a half-rate duty on goods coming from Brazil.

The former president is being held in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a detention review on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the High Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that he be permitted to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the national vote to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a scheme which included plans to kill Lula and his running partner, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing the former president's case.

The scheme was thwarted because it failed to get the backing of the military leaders. The current president was took office without issue on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on 8 January, many Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged official structures in the federal district, the capital city.

The security forces took action and around 1,500 people were detained.

The magistrates found that the protesters had been encouraged by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.

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

The one-time head of state called the court case a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.