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

The former head of state was convicted of planning a military coup in the ninth month and sentenced more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.

This involved trying to remove his ankle monitor and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could facilitate a potential flight.

Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the arrest, the magistrate said intelligence from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's "intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his flight.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the demonstration called by his son.

His child, Flávio, who serves as a congressional representative, called for a meeting of his followers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on social media on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your homeland, or watch it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so supporters could seek divine intervention for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our land."

Foreign Shelter Risks

Part of the magistrate's decision was the chance of the former president's transfer to diplomatic missions near the home, considering that the investigations revealed a background of organizing to seek refuge through a embassy office", a statement said.

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

International Reactions

The former president's legal troubles have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist United States President Donald Trump, leading him to implement a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a federal law enforcement building in Brasilia and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on the previous day that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to allow him to complete his entire prison term under home confinement, with tracking devices.

They also petitioned that the former president be permitted to depart his residence for medical treatment, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.

Background on Conviction

The former president was determined responsible of leading a scheme aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the 2022 election to his political opponent, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he had knowledge of a scheme which encompassed plans to murder the current president and his vice-presidential running mate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the top judicial official who has been overseeing the former president's case.

The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the support of the army and air force commanders. His successor was took office without problem on 1 January 2023.

But a week later, on 8 January, many his backers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.

The law enforcement intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.

The judges found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the 27 years and three months sentence extremely harsh.

He was also prohibited from running for public office until twenty-sixty - eight years after the end of his sentence.

The one-time head of state called the court case a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him running in the 2026 presidential election.