🔗 Share this article

The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.

The ex-president was sentenced of orchestrating a armed takeover in last fall and given more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under confinement pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after recent developments were revealed.

This included trying to remove his tracking device and a call for a public vigil that could facilitate a possible escape.

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a filing authorising the custody, the judge said data from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his flight.

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

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

His son wrote on social media on Friday: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could "pray for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the chance of his transfer to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a background of organizing to seek refuge through a consular facility", a declaration said.

The court filing emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around 8 miles from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Trump, causing him to impose a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will have a custody hearing on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the High Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be authorized to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he demanded ongoing care for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of leading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which involved plans to kill his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to arrest and execute Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the support of the military leaders. Lula was inaugurated without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, many Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised government buildings in the capital, Brazil's capital.

The police took action and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The judges found that the protesters had been incited by him whose strategy, they said, was for the country's army to step in, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the time, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also barred from campaigning for office until the year 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 aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.