Jair Bolsonaro taken into custody after being deemed a risk of fleeing

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

The ex-president was sentenced of planning a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under confinement pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after "new facts" emerged.

This encompassed seeking to disable his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a public vigil that could facilitate a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Escape Risks

In a document approving the arrest, the magistrate said information from the centre monitoring the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his flight.

This, it said, would be assisted by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his child.

His son, his son Flávio, who works as a senator, called for a assembly of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on the weekend.

The senator wrote on digital networks on last Friday: "Are you going to fight for your country, or observe everything from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to battle with us."

He said the gathering would be so followers could seek divine intervention for his health and for the return of democracy in our land."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the magistrate's determination was the chance of Bolsonaro's transfer to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the probes revealed a history of planning to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The judicial paperwork emphasizes that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 8 miles from Bolsonaro's home.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist US President Trump, prompting him to enact a fifty percent tax on goods coming from Brazil.

The former president is being detained in a national police facility in Brasilia and will experience a detention review on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, 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 pulmonary infections and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

Bolsonaro was found guilty of leading a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his ideological adversary, Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a plot which included plans to assassinate his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The conspiracy was prevented because it couldn't obtain the backing of the military leaders. His successor was sworn in without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a seven days after, on January 8th, numerous his followers attacked and damaged public facilities in the capital, Brazil's capital.

The police intervened and around approximately 1,500 persons were arrested.

The judges found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the time, his attorneys called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

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

Melanie Baker
Melanie Baker

Eleanor Vance is a London-based journalist with a decade of experience covering UK politics and cultural trends, passionate about storytelling that connects communities.