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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The ex-president was found guilty of planning a government overthrow in September and handed more than 27 years in incarceration, but he continued under confinement pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the move to detain the elderly politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.

This involved seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a call for a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a possible escape.

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said data from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's aim to disable the surveillance device to ensure success in his flight.

This, it said, would be assisted by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his child.

His child, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I call on you to struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's determination was the potential of Bolsonaro's move to embassies near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of arranging to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the federal district, the capital city, is positioned around 13km from the former president's residence.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow right-wing populist US President President Trump, prompting him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also asked that Bolsonaro be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

The former president was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the national vote to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to murder Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been managing Bolsonaro's trial.

The plot was stopped because it failed to get the endorsement of the military leaders. His successor was took office without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, thousands of his backers invaded and destroyed official structures in the federal district, Brasília.

The police took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, restore order and return him to office.

At the period, the legal team called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also barred from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The one-time head of state called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.