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The former Brazilian leader has been detained after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under house arrest.

The ex-president was convicted of plotting a government overthrow in September and given more than a 27-year term in prison, but he remained under confinement pending legal challenges.

Top Judicial Official the presiding justice said the move to detain the elderly politician was a preventative measure after fresh information emerged.

This included trying to remove his electronic bracelet and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could enable a potential flight.

Judicial Records Show Escape Risks

In a document approving the detention, Justice Moraes said information from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his getaway".

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the gathering called by his child.

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

The senator wrote on social media on last Friday: Do you plan to struggle for your country, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I urge you to battle 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."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the judge's decision was the potential of Bolsonaro's transfer to foreign missions near the residence, considering that the inquiries revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a embassy office", a announcement said.

The legal document underscores that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from his dwelling.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow conservative nationalist United States President Trump, causing him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brazil's capital city and will have a custody hearing on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

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

Details of Guilty Verdict

He was convicted of orchestrating a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the national vote to his political opponent, Lula.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a plan which included plans to kill the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to detain and kill Justice Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.

The scheme was stopped because it couldn't obtain the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on the eighth of January, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, Brazil's capital.

The police stepped in and around 1,500 people were detained.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been incited by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to step in, bring back stability and bring him back to power.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the decades-long sentence "absurdly excessive.

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

The former president called the legal proceedings a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 national vote.