🔗 Share this article

The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was convicted of plotting a military coup in last fall and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he continued under house arrest pending legal challenges.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" emerged.

This included attempting to break his electronic bracelet and a summons to a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Escape Risks

In a paperwork permitting the detention, the judge said information from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the ex-president's "intention to break the surveillance device to secure accomplishment in his flight.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his offspring.

His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a senator, called for a assembly of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday night.

The senator wrote on digital networks on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your nation, or watch it all from your phone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."

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

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the magistrate's decision was the chance of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of organizing to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brasilia, is located around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist American leader Donald Trump, prompting him to enact a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

The former president is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will have a custody hearing on the following day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the his legal team asked the High Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

They also requested that the former president be allowed to depart his residence for medical care, saying he needed ongoing care for lung conditions and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

The former president was convicted of leading a scheme aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plot which involved plans to murder his opponent and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been managing the former president's case.

The scheme was prevented because it couldn't obtain the backing of the army and air force commanders. His successor was sworn in without problem on January 1st, 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, numerous Bolsonaro supporters invaded and destroyed government buildings in the capital, Brazil's capital.

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

The magistrates found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the time, the legal team called the decades-long sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from seeking elected position until 2060 - eight years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The ex-leader called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the 2026 national vote.