Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being considered a flight risk

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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities found he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The former head of state was convicted of orchestrating a military coup in the ninth month and given more than 27 years in prison, but he continued under confinement pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the elderly politician was a precautionary step after recent developments came to light.

This included trying to remove his tracking device and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could enable a possible escape.

Judicial Records Show Escape Concerns

In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said information from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the protest called by his child.

His offspring, his son Flávio, who holds office as a senator, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.

His son wrote on online platforms on the previous day: Will you battle for your country, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your sofa? I urge you to struggle with us."

He said the demonstration would be so followers could "pray for his health and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's ruling was the potential of the former president's "relocation to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a record of organizing to seek refuge through a embassy office", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the national capital, Brasilia, is positioned around 13km from his dwelling.

Worldwide Consequences

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist American leader Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.

He is being held in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on the following day.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the ex-leader's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to permit him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest, with tracking devices.

They also petitioned that the former president be permitted to leave his home for medical treatment, saying he needed regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

He was determined responsible of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his ideological adversary, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a plot which encompassed plans to kill the current president and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been managing his judicial proceedings.

The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. The current president was took office without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters attacked and damaged public facilities in the capital, the capital city.

The law enforcement intervened and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The justices found that the rioters had been provoked by the former president whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, reestablish control and return him to office.

At the period, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until the year 2060 - eight years after the completion of his term.

The one-time head of state called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the 2026 national vote.

Mr. Stephen Day
Mr. Stephen Day

A seasoned journalist specializing in royal affairs with over a decade of experience covering British monarchy events.