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

The former head of state was sentenced of planning a military coup in September and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he remained under house arrest pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Justice Moraes said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after recent developments emerged.

This included trying to remove his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could facilitate a possible escape.

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement 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 confusion caused by the gathering called by his offspring.

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

The senator wrote on social media on the previous day: Will you battle for your homeland, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could offer prayers for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the magistrate's decision was the potential of his "relocation to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a record of arranging to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.

The court filing emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, the capital city, is positioned around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist US President Donald Trump, causing him to enact a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also asked that the former president be authorized to leave his home for medical care, saying he needed regular treatment for lung conditions and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

He was determined responsible of leading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, President Lula.

High Court judges said that he knew of a plan which encompassed plans to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was stopped because it failed to get the backing of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a seven days after, on 8 January, many his followers attacked and damaged official structures in the national capital, Brasília.

The law enforcement took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were detained.

The magistrates found that the rioters had been incited by the former president whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the moment, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also prohibited from running for public office until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The former president called the legal proceedings a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the 2026 national vote.