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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The one-time leader was convicted of planning a military coup in last fall and handed more than over two decades in incarceration, but he was staying under home detention pending appeals.

High Court Judge the presiding justice said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" came to light.

This involved trying to remove his ankle monitor and a call for a demonstration that could enable a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a paperwork permitting the detention, the judge said data from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his son.

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who works as a congressional representative, called for a gathering of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday night.

His son wrote on online platforms on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or see it all from your phone there on your couch? I invite you to struggle with us."

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

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's decision was the potential of the former president's move to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of arranging to seek refuge through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The judicial paperwork underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the capital, Brasilia, is positioned around 8 miles from his dwelling.

Worldwide Consequences

Bolsonaro's legal woes have drawn the ire of fellow populist conservative US President Trump, prompting him to implement a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.

He is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with electronic monitoring.

They also asked that the former president be permitted to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was convicted of heading a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to murder his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the endorsement of the armed forces officials. Lula was took office without issue on the first day of 2023.

But a week later, on January 8th, thousands of his backers attacked and damaged official structures in the national capital, Brazil's capital.

The security forces stepped in and around fifteen hundred individuals were arrested.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to intervene, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

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

He was also banned from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the completion of his term.

The former president called the legal proceedings a targeted investigation" and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.