Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being deemed a flight risk
Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under house arrest.
The former head of state was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under home detention pending court reviews.
Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.
This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a call for a public vigil that could "allow for a potential flight.
Court Filing Details Flight Fears
In a paperwork permitting the custody, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking his home detention suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.
His son, his son Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a assembly of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.
The senator wrote on digital networks on the previous day: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I urge you to fight with us."
He said the demonstration would be so backers could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of the judge's decision was the potential of the former president's move to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a embassy office", a declaration said.
The legal document emphasizes that the US embassy in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is located around 13km from his dwelling.
Worldwide Consequences
His judicial problems have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative US President Donald Trump, leading him to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
The former president is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the next day.
Recent Judicial Appeals
It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with digital surveillance.
They also petitioned that he be allowed to depart his residence for healthcare, saying he required ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
The former president was determined responsible of heading a plot aimed at keeping him in power after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.
High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a plot which encompassed plans to assassinate his opponent and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.
The scheme was thwarted because it failed to get the endorsement of the armed forces officials. Lula was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, numerous his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the national capital, Brazil's capital.
The security forces stepped in and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.
The justices found that the rioters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and return him to office.
At the moment, his attorneys called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also banned from running for public office until the year 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.
The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was intended to stop him running in the next presidential race.