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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in last fall and sentenced more than over two decades in incarceration, but he was staying under home detention pending legal challenges.

Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after "new facts" emerged.

This involved trying to remove his tracking device and a summons to a public vigil that could enable a possible escape.

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the tracking monitor to ensure success in his flight.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Will you battle for your homeland, or observe everything from your phone there on your couch? I urge you to battle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the potential of his transfer to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of planning to request asylum through a consular facility", a statement said.

The legal document underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brasilia, is positioned around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist American leader Trump, prompting him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being held in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on the next day.

Latest Court Petitions

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

They also requested that the former president be permitted to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he required frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which included plans to kill his opponent and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been managing the former president's case.

The plot was prevented because it couldn't obtain the backing of the army and air force commanders. His successor was inaugurated without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, many his backers invaded and destroyed government buildings in the capital, Brasília.

The police stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.

The judges found that the protesters had been encouraged 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, his attorneys called the over 27-year sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also banned from running for public office until the year 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The former president called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him participating in the 2026 presidential election.