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Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities concluded he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in last fall and handed more than over two decades in prison, but he continued under house arrest pending legal challenges.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the 70-year-old politician was a safety action after fresh information came to light.

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

Legal Document Reveals Escape Concerns

In a paperwork permitting the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the former leader's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his escape.

This, it said, would be assisted by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his son.

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

His son wrote on digital networks on Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your homeland, or see it all from your phone there on your couch? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the gathering would be so backers could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our nation."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the potential of Bolsonaro's move to diplomatic missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of arranging to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a announcement said.

The legal document highlights that the United States embassy in the capital, the capital city, is located around approximately 13 kilometers from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

His judicial problems have provoked anger from fellow right-wing populist US President Donald Trump, causing him to impose a half-rate duty on Brazilian product imports.

Bolsonaro is being held in a federal law enforcement building in Brazil's capital city and will undergo a detention review on Sunday.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also requested that the former president be allowed to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he demanded frequent medical attention for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

The former president was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a plan which involved plans to kill Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been managing the former president's case.

The plot was thwarted because it didn't receive the backing of the armed forces officials. Lula was sworn in without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, thousands of his backers stormed and vandalised government buildings in the capital, the capital city.

The security forces intervened and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The judges found that the protesters had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the period, his attorneys called the 27 years and three months sentence "absurdly excessive.

He was also prohibited from running for public office until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.

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