🔗 Share this article

Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The ex-president was found guilty of planning a armed takeover in September and given more than over two decades in prison, but he continued under confinement pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after fresh information came to light.

This involved seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could "allow for a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a filing authorising the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his flight.

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

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

The senator wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Will you battle for your nation, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the demonstration would be so backers could "pray for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the potential of his transfer to embassies near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a record of arranging to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, the capital city, is located around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist American leader President Trump, prompting him to enact a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.

He is being kept in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will experience a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to authorize him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that he be authorized to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he required frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the presidential race to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a plan which encompassed plans to murder his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the endorsement of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without issue on the first day of 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, numerous his followers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The law enforcement intervened and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The judges found that the protesters had been incited by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, restore order and bring him back to power.

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

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

The former president called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 presidential election.