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Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was convicted of orchestrating a government overthrow in the ninth month and handed more than over two decades in prison, but he remained under home detention pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a preventative measure after fresh information emerged.

This included seeking to disable his tracking device and a call for a public vigil that could facilitate a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the chaos caused by the protest called by his child.

His son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a legislator, called for a gathering of his followers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your country, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I urge you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the return of democracy in our nation."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the possibility of the former president's "relocation to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the probes revealed a background of planning to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.

The legal document highlights that the US embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is positioned around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist US President Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in the capital and will have a detention review on the next day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with digital surveillance.

They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be allowed to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he required regular treatment for respiratory ailments and other ailments.

Background on Conviction

The former president was determined responsible of leading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he failed to win the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a plan which encompassed plans to assassinate Lula and his running partner, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was thwarted because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. The current president was took office without incident on the first day of 2023.

But a seven days after, on 8 January, numerous his backers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.

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

The magistrates found that the protesters had been incited by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the period, the legal team called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The ex-leader called the court case a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him competing in the 2026 presidential election.