Jair Bolsonaro arrested after being deemed a risk of fleeing

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Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities found he posed a definite escape threat while under domestic detention.

The ex-president was found guilty of planning a government overthrow in last fall and sentenced more than 27 years in incarceration, but he was staying under house arrest pending appeals.

Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the 70-year-old politician was a precautionary step after recent developments were revealed.

This involved attempting to break his ankle monitor and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could "allow for a chance to flee".

Legal Document Reveals Flight Fears

In a document approving the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the facility tracking the former president's confinement suggested the former leader's aim to disable the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.

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

His child, Flávio Bolsonaro, who holds office as a senator, called for a assembly of his supporters near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on social media on last Friday: Will you battle for your nation, or observe everything from your smartphone there on your couch? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the gathering would be so supporters could "pray for his health and for the return of democracy in our land."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of Justice Moraes's determination was the possibility of his move to embassies near the home, considering that the probes revealed a background of planning to seek refuge through a embassy office", a declaration said.

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

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have drawn the ire of fellow conservative nationalist US President President Trump, leading him to impose a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being detained in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will have a detention review on the next day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the High Court to authorize him to serve his whole jail sentence under home confinement, with digital surveillance.

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

Details of Guilty Verdict

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

High Court judges said that he had knowledge of a scheme which involved plans to kill his opponent and his running partner, Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the Supreme Court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

The plot was prevented because it failed to get the endorsement of the army and air force commanders. The current president was sworn in without problem on the first day of 2023.

But a seven days after, on 8 January, many his followers stormed and vandalised public facilities in the federal district, Brazil's capital.

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

The magistrates found that the demonstrators had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose strategy, they said, was for the Brazilian military to intervene, bring back stability and return him to office.

At the period, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".

He was also prohibited from campaigning for office until 2060 - eight years later after the end of his sentence.

The former president called the court case a "witch hunt and said it was aimed at blocking him running in the next presidential race.

Brittany Preston
Brittany Preston

Elara Vance is a financial analyst with over a decade of experience in investment banking and personal finance coaching.