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Jair Bolsonaro has been taken into custody after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under domestic detention.

The one-time leader was convicted of planning a government overthrow in September and sentenced more than 27 years in jail, but he was staying under home detention pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the elderly politician was a precautionary step after "new facts" were revealed.

This involved seeking to disable his ankle monitor and a summons to a public vigil that could enable a potential flight.

Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the detention, Justice Moraes said intelligence from the centre monitoring Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the tracking monitor to guarantee victory in his flight.

This, it said, would be made easier by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his son.

His son, Flávio, who serves as a legislator, called for a gathering of his backers near his father's house to take place on Saturday night.

His son wrote on digital networks on the previous day: Will you battle for your nation, or observe everything from your phone there on your couch? I call on you to battle with us."

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

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the magistrate's ruling was the potential of his "relocation to embassies near the home, considering that the probes revealed a record of organizing to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The court filing highlights that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is situated around 8 miles from his dwelling.

International Reactions

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow populist conservative American leader Donald Trump, prompting him to enact a 50% tariff on imports of Brazilian goods.

Bolsonaro is being kept in a federal law enforcement building in the capital and will have a imprisonment assessment on Sunday.

Recent Judicial Appeals

It was only on the previous day that the his legal team asked the High Court to permit him to complete his entire prison term under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also requested that Bolsonaro be allowed to exit his dwelling for medical care, saying he demanded ongoing care for lung conditions and other health problems.

Background on Conviction

He was convicted of leading a plot aimed at maintaining his control after he was defeated in the presidential race to his political opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Top judicial officials said that he had knowledge of a plan which included plans to murder Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and to imprison and murder Alexandre de Moraes - the High Court judge who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the endorsement of the armed forces officials. The current president was took office without issue on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on January 8th, numerous Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the federal district, the capital city.

The security forces took action and around approximately 1,500 persons were taken into custody.

The justices found that the protesters had been encouraged by the former president whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, reestablish control and reinstate his authority.

At the time, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

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

The one-time head of state called the trial a political persecution and said it was aimed at blocking him participating in the 2026 presidential election.