The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities determined he posed a concrete flight risk while under home confinement.
The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a military coup in the ninth month and given more than 27 years in prison, but he was staying under home detention pending legal challenges.
Top Judicial Official Alexandre de Moraes said the action to imprison the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" emerged.
This involved attempting to break his tracking device and a invitation to a supporters' gathering that could enable a chance to flee".
Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks
In a paperwork permitting the custody, the judge said information from the unit overseeing Bolsonaro's house arrest suggested the ex-president's aim to disable the electronic ankle bracelet to guarantee victory in his getaway".
This, it said, would be "facilitated by the disorder caused by the protest called by his son.
His child, his son Flávio, who works as a congressional representative, called for a assembly of his backers near the former president's residence to take place on Saturday night.
The senator wrote on digital networks on the previous day: "Are you going to fight for your nation, or see it all from your mobile device there on your couch? I call on you to struggle with us."
He said the vigil would be so followers could offer prayers for his well-being and for the return of democracy in our land."
Embassy Asylum Concerns
Part of Justice Moraes's decision was the chance of his "relocation to foreign missions near the dwelling, considering that the probes revealed a record of organizing to seek refuge through a diplomatic representation", a statement said.
The legal document underscores that the US embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is positioned around 8 miles from the former president's residence.
Worldwide Consequences
Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist American leader Donald Trump, causing him to implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian product imports.
Bolsonaro is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a detention review on Sunday.
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 house arrest, with electronic monitoring.
They also requested that the former president be permitted to leave his home for healthcare, saying he needed ongoing care for pulmonary infections and other illnesses.
Context of Sentencing
Bolsonaro was convicted of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he failed to win the 2022 election to his political opponent, President Lula.
Top judicial officials said that he knew of a scheme which involved plans to murder the current president and his running partner, his vice-presidential candidate, and to arrest and execute Justice Moraes - the top judicial official who has been presiding over the former president's case.
The scheme was stopped because it didn't receive the endorsement of the armed forces officials. The current president was inaugurated without incident on 1 January 2023.
But a seven days after, on January 8th, numerous Bolsonaro supporters stormed and vandalised public facilities in the national capital, the capital city.
The police intervened and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.
The justices found that the demonstrators had been incited by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to step in, reestablish control and return him to office.
At the period, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence unreasonably severe".
He was also barred from running for public office until 2060 - eight years later after the completion of his term.
The former president called the trial a targeted investigation" and said it was designed to prevent him competing in the 2026 presidential election.
