The former Brazilian president arrested after being deemed a risk of fleeing

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Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under house arrest.

The one-time leader was sentenced of planning a armed takeover in last fall and given more than 27 years in jail, but he remained under home detention pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after recent developments were revealed.

This encompassed attempting to break his ankle monitor and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could enable a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a document approving the detention, the judge said intelligence from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his child.

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

The senator wrote on online platforms on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your settee? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could "pray for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's decision was the chance of his transfer to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to seek refuge through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The legal document emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around approximately 13 kilometers from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative US President Donald Trump, leading him to enact a half-rate duty on goods coming from Brazil.

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

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

They also petitioned that Bolsonaro be permitted to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded regular treatment for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was convicted of heading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the national vote to his ideological adversary, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which included plans to murder the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

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

But a following week, on the eighth of January, many Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged government buildings in the capital, Brasília.

The police took action and around 1,500 people were detained.

The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by him whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.

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

He was also banned from campaigning for office until 2060 - a decade minus two years after the completion of his term.

The one-time head of state called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the 2026 presidential election.

Brenda Bowen
Brenda Bowen

A seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience covering European politics and cultural shifts, based in Stockholm.