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The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The ex-president was found guilty of orchestrating a military coup in September and given more than 27 years in incarceration, but he continued under house arrest pending court reviews.

Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after fresh information came to light.

This encompassed seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a call for a public vigil that could "allow for a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the arrest, the magistrate said data from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his son.

His child, Flávio, who holds office as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday evening.

The senator wrote on social media on last Friday: Will you battle for your nation, or observe everything from your phone there on your settee? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the magistrate's determination was the potential of the former president's "relocation to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a record of organizing to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The legal document highlights that the US embassy in the national capital, the capital city, is situated around 8 miles from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist United States President Trump, leading him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being held in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will experience a custody hearing on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also asked that he be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical treatment, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other ailments.

Context of Sentencing

He was convicted of heading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which encompassed plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

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

But a week later, on 8 January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised government buildings in the national capital, the capital city.

The law enforcement took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were taken into custody.

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

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

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

The former president called the trial a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him participating in the next presidential race.