The former Brazilian president arrested after being declared a escape threat

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Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was sentenced of plotting a armed takeover in last fall and given more than 27 years in incarceration, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after fresh information were revealed.

This included trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a demonstration that could facilitate a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the custody, the magistrate said data from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the former leader's "intention to break the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his flight.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.

His offspring, Flávio, who works as a senator, called for a meeting of his supporters near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on social media on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your sofa? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so backers 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 possibility of the former president's transfer to embassies near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to seek refuge through a consular facility", a declaration said.

The legal document emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, the capital city, is positioned around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist United States President Donald Trump, causing him to enact a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.

The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will experience a detention review on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Top Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also requested that he be allowed to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for pulmonary infections and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plot which encompassed plans to assassinate his opponent and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The conspiracy was prevented because it couldn't obtain the backing of the army and air force commanders. The current president was inaugurated without incident on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on the eighth of January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed public facilities in the capital, Brazil's capital.

The security forces took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the country's army to take action, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also banned from campaigning for office until the year 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The former president called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 presidential election.

Austin Keller
Austin Keller

A seasoned gambling journalist with over a decade of experience covering UK casino trends and regulatory updates.