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Jair Bolsonaro has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a definite escape threat while under home confinement.

The one-time leader was convicted of orchestrating a military coup in the ninth month and given more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under confinement pending appeals.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the move to detain the septuagenarian politician was a precautionary step after fresh information were revealed.

This encompassed seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the custody, the judge said data from the facility tracking Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his getaway".

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

His offspring, Flávio Bolsonaro, who serves as a senator, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday evening.

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on online platforms on last Friday: Will you battle for your homeland, or see it all from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to battle with us."

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

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's ruling was the potential of his move to embassies near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of arranging to ask for protection through a embassy office", a statement said.

The court filing highlights that the American diplomatic mission in the federal district, Brazil's capital, is situated around 13km from Bolsonaro's home.

International Reactions

His judicial problems have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist US President President Trump, causing him to impose a 50% tariff on goods coming from Brazil.

He is being held in a national police facility in Brasilia and will experience a custody hearing on the next day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the Supreme Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under domestic detention, with digital surveillance.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be allowed to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he needed frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

Details of Guilty Verdict

Bolsonaro was determined responsible of heading a plot aimed at retaining his authority after he lost the 2022 election to his political opponent, President Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he was aware of a plan which involved plans to kill Lula and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over the former president's case.

The scheme was prevented because it failed to get the support of the armed forces officials. His successor was took office without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a seven days after, on 8 January, many his followers invaded and destroyed public facilities in the federal district, the capital city.

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

The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been provoked by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

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

He was also prohibited from running for public office until the year 2060 - a decade minus two years after the conclusion of his imprisonment.

The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was designed to prevent him running in the next presidential race.