🔗 Share this article

The former Brazilian leader has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.

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

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice the presiding justice said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a safety action after "new facts" emerged.

This involved attempting to break his ankle monitor and a invitation to a demonstration that could "allow for a potential flight.

Court Filing Details Escape Concerns

In a filing authorising the detention, the judge said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the former leader's plan to remove the tracking monitor to secure accomplishment in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the gathering called by his child.

His child, Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on the weekend.

His son wrote on social media on Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or observe everything from your mobile device there on your couch? I call on you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so followers could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our land."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the judge's decision was the potential of his move to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the investigations revealed a history of arranging to request asylum through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing highlights that the United States embassy in the capital, Brasilia, is located around 13km from his dwelling.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have generated frustration from fellow populist conservative United States President President Trump, prompting him to enact a fifty percent tax on Brazilian product imports.

He is being held in a national police facility in the capital and will undergo a detention review on the following day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to allow him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with electronic monitoring.

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

Context of Sentencing

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of orchestrating a scheme aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the presidential race to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to murder Lula and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the top judicial official who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The plot was prevented because it didn't receive the endorsement of the military leaders. His successor was took office without issue on the first day of 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, many his backers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

The law enforcement stepped in and around 1,500 people were taken into custody.

The judges found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose plan, they said, was for the country's army to step in, reestablish control and return him to office.

At the time, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also barred from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The one-time head of state called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the next presidential race.