The former Brazilian president arrested after being declared a flight risk

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Jair Bolsonaro has been detained after authorities determined he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under domestic detention.

The former head of state was found guilty of orchestrating a military coup in September and sentenced more than a 27-year term in prison, but he remained under house arrest pending court reviews.

High Court Judge Justice Moraes said the move to detain the 70-year-old politician was a preventative measure after fresh information came to light.

This involved trying to remove his ankle monitor and a summons to a demonstration that could enable a possible escape.

Court Filing Details Flight Fears

In a document approving the custody, the judge said information from the unit overseeing the former president's confinement suggested the one-time head of state's "intention to break the surveillance device to guarantee victory in his escape.

This, it said, would be made easier by the disorder caused by the protest called by his offspring.

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

Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media on last Friday: Will you battle for your nation, or watch it all from your mobile device there on your couch? I urge you to fight with us."

He said the vigil would be so supporters could "pray for his well-being and for the reestablishment of democratic governance in our country."

Diplomatic Refuge Fears

Part of the judge's decision was the chance of his move to foreign missions near the home, considering that the inquiries revealed a background of planning to ask for protection through a diplomatic representation", a declaration said.

The judicial paperwork emphasizes that the United States embassy in the national capital, Brazil's capital, is positioned around 8 miles from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

The former president's legal troubles have generated frustration from fellow right-wing populist US President Trump, prompting him to enact a half-rate duty on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being held in a national police facility in Brazil's capital city and will have a imprisonment assessment on the following day.

Latest Court Petitions

It was only on Friday that the his legal team asked the Top Court to authorize him to fulfill his full incarceration period under domestic detention, with tracking devices.

They also petitioned that the former president be permitted to depart his residence for medical care, saying he demanded regular treatment for pulmonary infections and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

The former president was found guilty of orchestrating a conspiracy aimed at maintaining his control after he lost the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.

High Court judges said that he was aware of a plot which included plans to murder Lula and his VP candidate, his vice-presidential candidate, and to imprison and murder the presiding judge - the Supreme Court justice who has been presiding over his judicial proceedings.

The scheme was prevented because it didn't receive the backing of the military leaders. Lula was sworn in without incident on 1 January 2023.

But a following week, on the eighth of January, numerous his backers attacked and damaged official structures in the national capital, the capital city.

The police took action and around 1,500 people were arrested.

The justices found that the rioters had been encouraged by Bolsonaro whose scheme, they said, was for the national armed forces to take action, bring back stability and reinstate his authority.

At the time, the legal team called the over 27-year sentence "absurdly excessive.

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

The former president called the court case a political persecution and said it was intended to stop him competing in the 2026 presidential election.

Tabitha Obrien
Tabitha Obrien

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience helping startups scale through innovative marketing and data-driven insights.

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